The Woodsman
by Spike 558
Summary: At last - The follow up to Crimson Moon! Fresh from their scuffle with vampires, the Slayers gang receive an invitation...... Story now updated and Completed!
1. The Woodsman Prelude

The Woodsman - Prologue The Woodsman  
Prologue 

* * *

The sun's rays were weakening. It's influence and power over the world was, once again, coming to an end. It's task of providing light and life to all living things was done for the day. It's grip on the lands below it was moments away from being lost. 

The sun was now slowly crawling behind the mountains that made up the horizon. It crawled behind the mountains and into the refuge they offered. The sun's journey was nearing it's end. Now all that awaited the sun was a long rest before it will rise again and repeat the same task.

The old woman hurried home. The evening wouldn't last much longer and it wouldn't be long before all is plunged into darkness. She must hurry home while there is still some daylight left. 

A hard day's work travelling along the road had certainly taken it's toll on the traveller. She had spent the entire day along the highway, situated on a comfortable woven rug surrounded by several pieces of fine pottery. 

The old woman sighed. Today had not been good. She had spent the entire previous day working hard on this pottery. Each piece had been lovingly hand crafted and baked to perfection. Yet no matter how skilled the old woman was at her craftsmanship, she did not make any kind of sale. No matter what happened, all the folk who made their way on the highway, didn't stop to purchase the beautiful pottery, let alone purchase any. What made matters worse was that the old woman was on her own. She had to shift her heavy load, along with her rug, all by herself. 

What was worse still was that earlier this morning, the village where she lived was rocked by a horrendous crime. Tongues were wagering about a murder. Someone had attacked a young woman during the night. Yet what made this murder disturbing was that while the body had disappeared, the head had remained. 

Yes, the head had remained - it had been severed from the woman's neck, with a good clean cut and flung into the village square, for all to see. Although peculiar this act may be, what made it more disturbing was that this was the exact same fate for the other victims. 

Yes, other victims - For the past few days, the town had been stalked by a murderer. Five had already been claimed and now, with this recent murder, the number was up to six. Six people murdered over six days. And six people murdered only wind up with their head severed and flung into the grounds of this village. 

This shocking (yet bizarre) crime was the talk of the village. Already the villagers were worried. Who was the murderer? Why did he commit such heinous crimes? And if he decapitated his victims, what did he do with the rest of the body? 

Thus, it didn't take much difficulty for the villagers to deduce that this was the work of a psychotic lunatic. A lunatic with the most bizarre of actions and motivations. 

It was therefore with no surprise that the villagers paranoia was rising. 

No, This day had certainly not been a good one.

But what did it matter? Things are already looking up for this evening. Right now, the old woman's mind was on other things. Namely, the thought of those nice baked potatoes she'll be having for dinner. Yes, the prospects were so good, she could taste them even now. And the thought of relaxing in front of a nice warm fire......

Alas, had the old woman not been enamoured of her plans for the evening, she would've picked up the sound of running feet, approaching her from behind. Had she turned around, she would've seen that the person running towards her wasn't the friendly type. Had she turned around she would've taken action against this strange man in a magenta robe with a freaky mask. And had she taken action, she would've run before he plunged that knife into her back.....

But it was not to be.

The old woman fell to the ground with a tremendous crash, her brain still reeling from the shock of the attack. And as her body hit the ground, her pottery rolled off her back and shattered onto the road. What took hours to construct was destroyed in mere seconds. 

As the old woman gasped her last breathes of air, her eyes met the remains of her beloved pottery. Tears welled up in her eyes, when she saw the devastation before her. 

It was there and then, her brain was struck by another revelation.

She was dead. 

The murderer, the same murder she was reflecting on, the same murderer who was troubling her village, the same murderer who had killed six others over six days, the same murderer who had a reputation for decapitating his victims, had struck again.

Yes he had struck again and made his seventh kill in the process. 

The old woman's eyes looked up, up towards her attacker, her murderer, her executioner. With a gaze that was both accusing and hateful, she stared up at the murderer.

And needless to say, his appearance truly vindicated his peculiar usage of methods in his despicable acts. He was dressed in a magenta robe that covered him completely. In his hand was a bloodied dagger. And his face was diguised under a truly demented looking mask. A truly demented looking mask bearing a laughing expression. A laughing expression that was obviously laughing at a sick joke. A sick joke that the murderer must have found funny because he began to laugh. A laugh that was at once both insane and triumphant. A laugh that burned it's way into the heart of his dying victim.

With this manic laughter ringing in her ears, The old woman closed her eyes.

It seems she won't be enjoying those potatoes after all....

* * *

Chapter 1  
Contents  



	2. Chapter 1 The Invitation

The Woodsman Part 1 The Woodsman  
Chapter 1:  
The Invitation 

* * *

It all started in, of all places, a sleeping village. The day's activities had all passed and now everyone was lost in slumber-land. They had all spent all hours of daylight going about their daily business and working their fingers to the bone. Now they slept without a worry in the world. The village of Dakeyras was still, and was enlightened by the blazing light of a full moon. 

In amongst the sleeping mass were four outsiders. 

Lina Inverse the infamous sorceress, bandit killer and the bearer of the most overwhelming appetite imaginable; Gourry Gabriev, the owner of the legendary Sword of Light and the most degenerate IQ ever witnessed; Amelia Wil Tesla Saillune a princess and one of the fabled Champions of Justice; and Zelgadis Greywars the chimera and the most moody of the four.

Four adventurers who have seen the most fantastic sights and the most bizarre monstrosities that the mere sight of would've turned blood to water. Four adventurers who sought a haven following the most extraordinary, and most horrific, adventure they had ever experienced. They had pursued a dangerous and sadistic foe right into the depths of this very village. They had cornered this persistent adversary and brought about a demise - a demise most horrendous for an enemy most terrible.

But now the threat of Isabella von Hurst has now long gone. Now the four adventurers were hailed as heroes. Now the four adventurers slept easy knowing the evil that plagued them was now gone forever. 

But little did they know that their troubles were only just beginning.....

The eradication of one threat only brought about the presence of a second.

And it was into this sleeping village that a ominous figure entered. 

Clad entirely in black and blending right into shadows, this intruder crept silently and stealthily through Dakeyras, following the light of the moon. His movements were quick, yet sleek, his eyes darted everywhere and his intentions were hardly peaceful.....

He heard that the infamous Lina Inverse was staying at this very village....

The intruder felt a burning rage boiling up inside him. Yes, Lina Inverse. The same Lina Inverse who'd he had clashed with before. The same Lina Inverse who interfered with his plans and brought them crashing down. The same Lina Inverse who had brought him to ruin.

But, now was the time for a little payback....

Moving with ever-so-silence, the intruder made his way over to the local inn. Yes this was the place - Knowing Lina she would be situated here within this tavern's walls. 

And probably recovering from gorging herself beyond belief. 

The intruder grinned under his mask. If Lina was fast asleep, then she shouldn't be too hard to abduct.....

Then, without a further ado, the interloper set about climbing the wall of the tavern. He already knew that the guest rooms were situated above ground floor in this tavern.....  
....All he had to do was get there. 

Using his stealthy techniques and the light of a full moon, the interloper made his way up the wall and towards his destination.

It was one of the balconies that hung out from the wall. One of the balconies that would lead him into one of the guest rooms and inside.....

The intruder made his way onto the balcony with ease. Then he crept over to a window. A window that lead into the room adjacent to the balcony. This seemed like a good spot to begin the search....

The interloper peered through the window and into the room.....  
....and grinned.

It looks like his search was over just as it had began. There, lying on the bed, was a teenage girl. Although her head was out of the moonlight that streamed in through the window, the rest of her was enough to convince the interloper that he had located Lina.....

Suddenly the moon disappeared behind a cloud. Immediately all light within the village was extinguished. The intruder was now left alone without his one source of light.

He cursed. Things had now grown slightly difficult......

But oddly beneficial. He now had the cover required to pull off his act of abduction!

Using what little light he had, the intruder calmly opened up the window. Ha! It was unlocked! This was getting better and better! He will pull this dirty deed quickly and easily! Come the morning, he would be long gone!

Suddenly, as the intruder clambered through the window and into the room, he heard a tiny voice at the back of his mind:

_Are you sure that's Lina?_

Suddenly the intruder stopped dead in his tracks. A peculiar sense of doubt had blossomed inside him and indeed had no sense of leaving. What guarantee did he have that the girl he was holding was indeed Lina? It had certainly been a while since he had last seen the sorceress. How long? Three years? Five years? He could never tell. 

But no matter how long it had been since he last seen her, Lina would've certainly grown up from being the hyperactive fourteen year old he has come to know. 

He didn't get much of a look at the girl through the window. Yet it was enough to establish that the girl was kind of.... young. And rather...

Well endowed?!

The intruder certainly recalled that the Lina he knew was quite.....  
.....Flat chested. In fact part of her lethal reputation relied upon that fact.

Lina certainly must've grown older but this growth rate was quite unexpected!

Oh what did it matter? If that girl was Lina then he should just grab her and get out of here, quick smart! He shouldn't hang around. He shouldn't be paralysed by his own guilt. He shouldn't dawdle once his prize is in his grasp.

Particularly if said prize was the most dangerous force known to man!

And with that, the intruder scooped up the sleeping girl. He grinned. His master is going to be pleased with this.....

Then, with his newly-acquired prize, the intruder scrambled back through the window, before disappearing into the night completely. 

* * *

The rest of the night passed without incident. When the morning came, the residents of Dakeyras, emerged from their homes, unaware of the visitor that passed through the night before. 

At the local tavern, Gourry Gabriev, sat at the table, ready for some breakfast. Last night was the first good rest he had in a long time. Thus he felt quite refreshed and happy.

As he read the menu and pondered on what to have, he picked the sound of a voice so unmistakable. 

"Morning Gourry!"

The swordsman looked over his menu to see Lina Inverse, standing beside him, grinning a grin most large.

"Hey Lina!" Gourry smiled. "You're here for breakfast too?"

Lina's face fell, in contempt for Gourry's remarkable talent for stating the obvious. Eventually she sighed.

"Yeah, Gourry. I am."

The sorceress then took her seat opposite Gourry. 

"So" Gourry inquired. "Where's Amelia and Zel?"

"I didn't see them on my way down here." Lina answered. "I guess they're both still in bed."

Then she smiled a sly smile. "But I guess it would be best if we both left them that way!"

"Oh?" Gourry replied diminutively. "Why?"

Defeated, Lina's head crashed onto the table with a terrific thud. How could he be so dumb? How could he not notice things develop in an extraordinary way between Zel and Amelia?! How could he not notice the simple chemistry that was evolved into something much more?! How could he not notice Zelgadis, of all people, actually break out of his introverted prison and warm up towards the princess?!

Lina looked up at the swordsaen, an enormous scowl across her face.

"Oh never mind......" she growled, as she picked up a menu off the table.

"So" Gourry said conversationally, "What will you have for breakfast?"

Lina looked up over her menu, smiling the most devilish of all smiles.

"Why Gourry" she grinned. "Everything of course!"

Gourry smiled back. "Make that a double!"

It wasn't long before the two adventurers found their table covered entirely with food. 

Well not _exactly_ entirely. With the two friends going for their food with such ferocity and such ill-abandon, it didn't take long for space to be made on the table! And the space that was made soon grew larger and larger as the two adventurers polished off one plate after another.

And for a time not a word was spoken. All thoughts of Amelia, Zelgadis and their latest adventure were forgotten completely. What mattered was going for the food! Man, there was no better way to celebrate the completion of yet another adventure. It was certainly a welcome relief after spending so long, away from civilisation!

Eventually, the silence was broken by Gourry clearing his throat. 

"So Lina." he said, in between mouthfuls "Now that we've killed Isabella and rescued Zel, what are we going to do now?"

"You know, Gourry" Lina replied, also in between mouthfuls. "That's a very good question."

"I guess" she continued. "We just wait for something to come along our way."

Gourry blinked. That doesn't seem like the best of ideas - even by his standards. 

Eventually he shrugged and continued on with breakfast. It was Lina's idea. And in most cases Lina knew best. Who was he to argue?

However, little did the two adventurers know, but Lina's prediction was only moments away from coming true.

Had Lina and Gourry turned away from breakfast they would've caught the sound of footsteps approaching their table. Had Lina and Gourry looked up from breakfast they would've caught the sight of a young man walking up to the diners.

Yet it would only take a small sentence to bring the two adventurers back to earth.

"Umm.... Excuse me?"

At these words, the two friends flicked their heads away from their meal and towards this newcomer. He was a young man bedecked in the clothes of a messenger. His overall appearance was bedraggled and dirty, as if he spent a lot of time on the road. And his face bore an expression of weariness mixed with triumph - as if he was relieved at obtaining a long term goal.

"What?" Lina demanded with her mouth full.

"I have a message here for a Lina Inverse." The young man said.

"That's me!" Lina replied eagerly. 

The young man handed a sealed envelope to Lina before turning around and disappearing from view.

Gourry blinked at the envelope as Lina tore it open. 

"What's this Lina?"

Lina reached into the envelope and pulled out a piece of paper. A piece of paper containing a bunch of hand-written words. 

"A letter?" Gourry inquired.

Lina nodded, before leaning back in her chair and studying this piece of correspondence.

Gourry watched the sorceress, gazing into her face, waiting for a sign of reaction.....

He didn't have long to wait. 

Lina's eyes widened and her face lit up with delight.

Upon seeing this development, Gourry relaxed. It must be good news.

"Gourry!" Lina grinned. "It's from Martina!"

Immediately Gourry's happy expression disintegrated. That letter was from Martina?! Call that good news?!

But if Lina noticed this change in Gourry. She certainly didn't show it. Instead she continued to read the letter. "It's an invitation!" she said excitedly. "For the both of us! To a party to celebrate her wedding anniversary!"

Then she noticed Gourry's extremely under-joyed expression.

"Gourry? What's the matter?"

Gourry grimaced. He certainly wasn't in a rush to see that spoilt brat of princess again. Sure he hadn't seen Martina in a while.....  
....But the absence was certainly a relief!

Lina caught Gourry's expression. She then must of understood what he was thinking because her smile fell. 

"I get it." She snapped, accusingly. "You don't want to go to Martina's party."

Gourry nodded. He could still recall, quite vividly, the countless times he found Martina drooling over him like he was a slab of meat. It was for this, he kept the lunatic princess at an arm's length. Her husband Zangulus was no better. This peculiar obsession he had for challenging Gourry at every opportunity was at once both annoying and embarrassing.

No, there was no way in hell he was going to see Martina and Zangulus again.

Gourry shook his head at Lina's question.

"Aw, come on!" Lina said in voice that was both teasing and coaxing.

"No!" Gourry said firmly. 

Suddenly an all too rare thought struck him.

"Hey, Lina" Gourry inquired accusingly "Why are you so keen to go to this party?"

Suddenly Lina stopped dead, caught off - guard. To be honest, she too wasn't keen on seeing that troublesome Martina again. In fact, when they had parted ways at Martina's wedding, Lina was relieved at the fact of never seeing that clumsy, whining, useless, spoilt brat again.

But Lina had one and only one reason to go to this wedding anniversary. 

Lina leaned across the table, with her hands under her chin and the most sly of smiles.

Gourry blinked in astonishment.

"Why Gourry" Lina said. "It's a party right?"

"Yeah, but it's with Martina!" the swordsmen argued.

Lina raised an eyebrow. 

"You mean you don't want to go?"

"No!" Gourry said firmly.

Lina's eyes turned evil. He had walked straight into her trap.....

"All right then!" Lina proclaimed, leaning back off the table. "It's your decision, but it would be me eating all that delectable, yummy, succulent, delicious, scrumptious, lovely party food!"

Gourry blinked, as Lina gave her speech, drawing emphasis upon the last eight words.....  
....before bringing his head down on the table! 

The swordsmen was defeated. Lina had brought down his stubborn defences with ease. Dammit, why does she have to play so mean?!

Gourry looked up at the sorceress to see her grinning in triumph.

"So" she said smugly. "I take it you have changed your mind?"

Gourry nodded, before he returned to his sitting position. Then he cleared his throat.

"Are Amelia and Zel invited too?'

Lina nodded. 

"It has their names on this invitation. I guess Martina must've worked it out that they were travelling with us."

Then she smiled. "Why don't we go and tell them?'

"Hang on." Gourry said. "Didn't you just say, that we should leave them alone?"

"Yes" Lina replied as she got to her feet. "But I doubt they sleep through something like this!"

And with that she turned around and headed out of the dining room and up the stairs, towards the guest chambers. Gourry watched her go before shrugging and following. Lina, after all, always knew best.

In no time at all, Lina found the room that Amelia shared with Zel. Immediately she threw the door open with a typically loud greeting.

"Amelia! Zel! You'll never guess what....."

But Lina never got to finish her greeting. Instead she was greeted with a sight. A sight that so unsettling, it was enough to bring her loud shout to an abrupt halt. A sight that was enough to leave the sorceress with her mouth hanging open, gaping in disbelief. 

Gourry ran up along the hallway towards Lina. Seeing her standing in the doorway with a shocked expression, he skidded to a halt alongside the sorceress.

"Lina!" he cried. "Is something wrong?"

"Gourry......They're not here!"

The swordsmen blinked. "Not here?"

"Amelia. Zelgadis. They've both gone...."

* * *

It was true. Amelia certainly wasn't in her room with Zelgadis. Instead she was still fast asleep, as she was being transported in someone's arms. 

Someone who was most definitely not Zelgadis. 

No, it was someone clad entirely in black. Someone who was moving away from Dakeyras at a hurried rate. Someone who was carrying not only the princess as a prisoner but an enormous sense of determination. Someone of a twisted intent.....

The intruder hurried on until he reached his final destination: It was a small tower, situated many miles from the village, in the middle of a densely populated woodland, away from prying eyes and nosy folk. 

The intruder approached the front door of the tower and rapped on it three times. 

And for a while nothing happened.

Then, from the other side, came footsteps accompanied by a voice issuing the most vile grumbling and cursing.

The door was then flung open by an old man in a black robe and sporting the most enormous grey beard.

"WHAT?!" bellowed the old man. 

As he noticed his visitor, the old man's anger subsided.

"Oh it's you." he growled.

"Yes" the intruder said. "And I have Lina like you asked."

And with that the intruder brought the sleeping Amelia forth. But the old man wasn't pleased by this at all.

"YOU MORON!" the old man bellowed. "That's not Lina!"

Upon hearing these words, the intruder blinked from underneath his black mask. He looked down at his abducted....  
....Before being struck by the genius of revelation.

"Oh?"

The old slapped his forehead at the intruder's stupidity. Eventually he sighed.

"What do you mean, oh?" the old man growled. "I don't know who this is that you've brought me, but it certainly isn't Lina."

"Damn." The intruder muttered. "I knew this wasn't Lina. This one's too well-endowed to be....."

"OH SHUT UP!" The old man bellowed.

"Okay! Okay!" the intruder yelled in exasperation. "If this isn't Lina, then who is it?!"

"Knowing Lina" the old man mused "She hardly ever travels alone. So most likely you've just brought me one of her travelling companions."

The intruder blinked.

"Wait!" he yelled. "If this girl is a friend of Lina then wouldn't she come after us?"

The old man nodded, whilst mentally cursing his accomplice. Things already weren't looking good. Curse his blundering!

"So what do we do now?" the accomplice asked.

"That's a very good question." the old man replied.

With a sigh, the old man turned around and headed back into the tower. His accomplice, still holding the sleeping Amelia, followed.

But little did they know, they were being watched.....

* * *

Chapter 2  
Contents  



	3. Chapter 2 The Stranger

The Woodsman Part 2 The Woodsman   
Chapter 2:  
The Stranger 

* * *

The room bore all the trademarks of a science laboratory. There were glass vials of liquids, hissing noises, beakers full of boiling chemicals, placed over Bunsen burners, A well stocked bookcase and a table covered entirely with papers bearing mathematical equations, chemical formulae and diagrams for the most demented of experiments.

It was here the old man paced around.

What was he going to do now?! He had heard that Lina Inverse was in the village and so he ordered his accomplice to capture the sorceress who had brought him so much trouble. So what does that useless moron do? He goes and brings him the wrong girl! Marvellous! Just simply marvellous! How on earth could he complete his magnificent creation without the vital ingredient of a girl in her mid-teens?!

What made matters even more frustrating was that Lina will inevietably make the discovery that one of her friends is missing. And when that happens, there will be hell to pay! The old man shuddered at the thought. Having tangled with Lina before, he certainly knew the destructive power of the sorceress. And what if she was, after all this time, still going around with that Naga woman?! She was equally dangerous and indeed powerful - in her own unique way.

Yet as the prospect of facing Lina's wrath worried him, it still didn't provide the old man with the means to complete his experiment....

Suddenly an idea struck him. 

The old man hurried over to his desk and began rummaging around his diagrams. There could be a chance that this could all work out.....

Eventually he found what he was looking for: A ratty looking, horribly aged document, written in an ink that was but fading. But no matter how much the ink was fading, it still provided the old man with the information he was seeking.

As the old man gazed at the faded diagram, his eyes grew with devilish fervour. Yes! Yes! This is good! He can use this girl in his experiments after all! And all he had to do was make some minor changes to his original plan! This girl could be of some use after all!

Suddenly his thoughts were interrupted by the sound of the laboratory door being flung open. The old man turned around only to see his incompetent accomplice. The old man's eyes grew with contempt.

The intruder had now changed out of his black clothes and his mask. Now he was revealed as a man in his mid-thirties. This man was dressed in a well-worn armour and clothes that had definitely seen better days. He also bore a mean face which had seen many a battle and a wicked looking sword. It was undoubtable that this man was a warrior. 

But no matter how battle scarred he looked, the man was still the old man's accomplice.

"What is it?" the old man snarled, still annoyed at the warrior's bungling. 

"There's someone here to see you." The warrior answered

The old man's eyes hardened. 

"Well, show him in!"

The warrior stepped aside, to let the visitor into the laboratory....  
....And suddenly the old man's eyes widened in surprise. This visitor was something completely unexpected!

The visitor was a tall figure, covered completely in a magenta robe. And, as this robe concealed this newcomer completely, it seemed impossible to determine the visitor's identity. His hands were hidden within the sleeves. His feet were concealed under the robe's folds. Even his face was concealed under a hood. Yet the hood was protective as the rest of the robe: Where the face should be was a void of inky blackness. An inky blackness that was penetrated by two narrow slits of blue light. It was these slits that glowered from the inside of the robe and onto the old man. 

The old man gasped in astonishment. Who was this guy? He practically reeked of menace and mystery. And considering that his features were entirely concealed by that red robe, he was certainly not one to be trusted. But, as this stranger is a visitor as any other, he should have something worthwhile to stay.

"What do you want?" the old man growled.

It was then the stranger spoke. But it wasn't in a regular voice - it was in a raspy whisper. It was drier than a desert in the summer and it sounded as if the stranger had difficulty speaking - as if he had not spoken in a hundred years.

"Are you the renowned alchemist Diol?" the stranger inquired.

The old man grew suspicious. This stranger knew his name? He had no idea he was so famous.

But all the more reason to have his suspicions about him!

"Who wants to know?" snapped the old man named Diol.

"I've heard you have captured Lina Inverse." The stranger said, ignoring the old man's question, completely.

"Unfortunately not." Diol sighed, shooting an accusing glance past the stranger and at the old man's accomplice.

"Well if you haven't captured Lina Inverse, then who have you captured?!" the stranger asked, his voice now tinged with annoyance and anger.

It was then the warrior spoke up.

"We believe it's a friend of Lina!"

"SHUT UP YOU MORON!" Diol snapped.

Suddenly the stranger let out a series of short rasping breaths. It seemed like he was....  
....chuckling.

"This is good." the stranger muttered.

"You know." the stranger said, addressing the flustered alchemist, "I've heard how Lina Inverse defeated you. You were trying to incorporate her head into your design of a chimera."

Diol's face then went into a perfect shade of red. Then, from the other side of the room, the warrior started giggling. Diol's face then exploded into rage. With an expression, reading blue murder, the alchemist stormed over to the warrior and grabbed the warrior by his collar. 

"SHUT UP VISTA!!!!!" Diol thundered. "At least I didn't get _my_ instructions mixed up!"

The warrior named Vista blinked. 

"And if I was you" Diol went on, "I would go back to the village because Lina would probably be looking for us!"

In that instant, Vista's face fell. His eyes widened and his face grew frightened. He stared at Diol in fright. What? This old man was asking him to go back to Dakeyras and retrieve Lina?! Vista, having fought Lina before as well, certainly understood what the red-head is capable of. And it was this power that Vista wanted to avoid at all costs! This old man was just demanding the impossible!

"What?!" squawked Vista. "You want me to go and face Lina on my own??!?!"

"Precisely!" Diol snapped. "Consider that your punishment for not capturing her in the first place!!!!"

Vista, however had other ideas.

"Forget it!" he retorted. "No way! Uh-huh!"

"Let me put it this way" Diol snarled. "Would you rather face my wrath or Lina's wrath?!?" 

Vista paused, contemplating Diol's ultimatum.

"You know" the swordsman said eventually "I think I'd rather face your wrath!"

Growling with frustration, Diol grabbed Vista and flung him into the air! Vsita sailed through the door and out of the laboratory.

Diol dusted off his hands with a sigh. He had quite enough of the Vista's incompetence! That swordsman may have been the old man's former sponsor but to Diol he was just like any other underling!  
Satisfied with the fact that he now had the useless swordsman out of his hair, Diol returned his full attention to the stranger. The stranger was once again chuckling, obviously amused by the idiots in front of him.

"So you've heard of my exploits." The alchemist groaned. "So what is it that you want?"

"I want to assist you with your chimera experiments." The stranger replied.

"How?"

"I have a little ingredient that could help you."

As Diol still had his suspicions about this visitor, he said nothing. Instead he glared at the enigmatic stranger.

"Of course" the visitor went on. "You will be handsomely rewarded."

And with these words the stranger reached into his robe and pulled out a bulging bag. The stranger opened up the bag so Diol can see that it was full of gold coins.

Diol grinned, his eyes blazing with greedy fervour. Well, if he was going to be paid this much, then perhaps this visitor was the trustworthy sort!

In fact, Diol was so engrossed with the stranger's wealth that he didn't notice that the stranger's hand wasn't a hand at all. It was, instead, a shrivelled talon......

"So we have a deal?" the visitor said, his voice one of satisfaction.

"Yes! Yes! Yes, of course!" Diol grinned. "But what is this ingredient you're offering?"

The stranger again reached into his robe and pulled out a crystal vial containing a clear liquid.

"This....."

* * *

Meanwhile, a long way away from the chaos in Diol's tower but still within the confines of the forest that surrounded Dakeyras, a solitary figure was making his way through the trees. It was the trail of Vista this figure was seeking but he was cursing himself with every step of the way.

It was the chimera Zelgadis Greywars. And it was the same Zelgadis Greywars who cursed himself for the umpteenth time. How could he be so incompetent? How could he be such an idiot? Such a fool? Such a failure.....?

Earlier this morning, he woke to the sounds of birds chirping. It wasn't quite dawn, yet the first few ray's of light were creeping in through the window, banishing the darkness of the night before. The night's reign was coming to an end and, in it's wake, a new day had begun.

Zel's eyelids eventually warmed up to the light, no matter how minimal it was, and released their captive hold on the chimera's eyes. Slowly the chimera's eyes opened up and adjusted to the surroundings - But this was no easy task as the chimera was half-asleep and still in a room which was still dark. 

Lazily, the chimera reached his hand over to the other side of the bed. Towards Amelia. Ah, Amelia - his beloved, his princess, his sunshine, his everything. She who had risked life and limb to keep him from danger and certain death. She who stopped at nothing to rescue him from the nightmarish monster that was Isabella von Hurst. She who had remained true to him no matter how long he denied it. She who had not seen him as a monster but as a proper human being. She who was soft as a pillow when compared to his rock-hard flesh.

But she wasn't there. 

Instead of meeting Amelia's soft flesh, Zel's hand only made contact with the silk sheets of the bed.

The chimera's eyes shot open. What? Amelia wasn't there?! Impossible! Unthinkable! 

He flicked his head around towards the other side of the bed. 

There, the horrible reality of the situation sank in. Amelia definitely wasn't there. The space where she should have been was empty.

The chimera shot up in bed. His eyes scanning the dimly lit room, searching for answers to Amelia's disappearance.

He didn't have to worry for too long.

There, across the room, Zel caught sight of the curtains billowing out from the window.

Zel blinked. The curtains billowing around like that could only mean one thing.....

The chimera leapt to his feet and headed over to the window. It is there his suspicions were confirmed: The window was indeed open. Who on earth had left the window open....?

Did Amelia go through the window?

No. Amelia wouldn't have done a thing like that unless something was wrong......

Suddenly, in that instant, Zelgadis forgot about everything. He forgot about his current state of being half-awake. He forgot all about Isabella. He forgot all about the horrific ordeal he had experienced the night before last. He forgot all about Lina. He forgot all about Gourry. He even forgot all about breakfast. What mattered was finding Amelia. If she was in trouble then she needs him. Period.

Without a moments further hesitation, Zel grabbed his usual travelling clothes, which had spent the night draped across a chair, and leapt through the window. It was then from the tavern that Zel commenced his search, as the dawn sun crept over the horizon.

Zel had been searching ever since.

It had now been several hours.

It was now that Zel found himself wandering the forests surrounding the town, cursing himself. He'd spent the early hours of the morning going through the town. Yet his search there proved fruitless. But ever since Zel left the town, he had picked up signs of someone departing from the town on foot. And, judging by the tracks left, this someone was moving at a rapid pace, despite carrying a heavy load.....

It was there and then the chimera was struck by a terrible realisation.

Suddenly, Zel sprinted on, following the tracks. If anything had happened to Amelia...  
....He would never forgive himself!

And that's how Zel found himself wandering the forest, cursing himself for allowing Amelia to be abducted like that. She was taken out from under his nose while he was in a position of helplessness. She was kidnapped while he was powerless to prevent it happening. She was to be subjected to some devious machinations thought up by some fiend while he was lost in the wilderness.

But not if he could help it....

Yet, his pursuit of the kidnapper had now come to an abrupt halt. He had been following the tracks of the kidnapper but now these tracks had gradually grown into confusion: the tracks of the kidnapper now suffered from a degree of interference. These tracks were overlaid with new tracks. Only this newcomer had peculiar markings. They seemed not like human feet but like claws. Claws that could of only been made by a bird.

Yet even those claws seemed too large to be made by a bird.....

Could it have been some kind of animal?

That's possible.

But the longer Zel examined the tracks, his eyes widened and his brain came to a rather unsettling conclusion.

These tracks - there wasn't just one set, there were two! One set was heading in the same direction as the kidnapper while the other set was heading back in the other direction! From the look of it, this creature, must have met the kidnapper in the forest. And then what happened? Did they talk? Did they attack each other? Or something else.....

Suddenly the chimera's thoughts were interrupted by a loud noise. A loud yet reassuringly familiar noise.....

"WHAT?!?!? YOU AGAIN?!?!?"

Zel flicked his head around in the direction of the noise. He could recognise that voice a mile away! How could he _not_ identify the owner of the voice?! And, considering the power of the vocal chords behind the voice, how could Zel _not_ place where the voice itself was coming from?! 

Soon another noise joined the first.

"Hey Lina, do you know this guy?"

Zel sped off in the direction of the noise. Lina! Gourry! What were they doing here?

* * *

Lina wasn't too pleased with the situation. First Zel and Amelia disappear, then both she and Gourry get lost in the forest and now, they were being challenged by a die-hard of an old foe!   
No, Lina was certainly not keen on seeing Vista again. Jeez, she defeated him once already. So must she whip his arse again?! Why is it that she always attracts beaten adversaries like a magnet?! 

Oh well, one can easily guess that its all part of being a bandit-killer.....

"Well" Vista sneered. "How unpleasant it is to meet you again Lina. You don't know how long I've waited to take revenge on you."

Lina yawned. Man, this guy sure knows how to prattle on and on.....

"Lina?" Gourry inquired, with a bewildered expression. "How do you know this guy!?"

"Enough!" Vista snarled. "Let's just end it right here, right now!"

And with that he drew his sword with a dramatic flourish. Gourry raised an eyebrow.

Lina, now looking as bored as ever, started to cast a fireball, to toast the annoyance that was Vista.

But Gourry held his hand out in front of her.

"No Lina." the swordsmen grinned. "This one's mine"

Lina sighed. Who was she to argue? She didn't have time for Vista.

The sorceress nodded. Gourry drew his sword with a manic grin and charged towards Vista. 

Vista blinked. This wasn't the adversary he was expecting......  
But what does it matter? At least this blond's appearance may be that of a total pratt but he also looks like he could put up a decent fight!

Vista grinned at Gourry's charge. Bring it on! 

And within seconds, the battle was joined.

But Lina wasn't too interested. With a yawn, she turned away and nestled herself under a tree, to relax. Knowing Gourry's swordplay, this shouldn't take too long.....

"Lina!" came a shout.

Lina blinked. Hold on....  
That sounded like Zel! 

The sorceress looked up and, sure enough, there was the chimera. He charged right up to her bearing an expression of concern.

"Hiya Zel!" Lina grinned. "Where've you been?"

"Trying to find Amelia." 

Lina blinked. 

"What? Find Amelia? Where's she gone?"

Zel didn't answer. Instead, he looked up at Gourry and Vista getting stuck into one another.

"What's going on over there?" the chimera asked.

"Oh that." Lina answered, her voice lacking with interest. "Someone wanted to challenge me and Gourry decided to step in."

Zel let out a groan. There's always one....

"We don't have time for this!!!" he snapped, irritably. 

Vista, meanwhile, was too busy fighting off Gourry's attacks to notice Zel's arrival. But what did it matter? This young fellow was certainly putting up a good fight. He certainly seemed to know the art of swordplay inside out. No doubt about it, even though this fellow was younger then Vista, he certainly was masterful swordsman. 

In amongst the heat of the duel, Vista managed to catch sight of Lina. However she was now joined by someone else. But, Vista wasn't prepared for the appearance of the newcomer. His skin was blue and it looked completely unnatural. His face was decorated by chunks of blue rock that at once looked both bizarre and disturbing. And this newcomer's hair was rigid and looked capable of withstanding anything thrown against it. Vista was so taken aback by the appearance of this newcomer that he nearly dropped his guard.

Yet in spite of his appearances, this newcomer was someone who obviously knew the sorceress. And it was this newcomer who observed this duel of swordplay - With a rather annoyed expression.

All of a sudden, this newcomer waved his arms above his head and pronounced two words:

"MEGA BRAND!"

At the mention of these words, Vista blinked. Mega brand? Hey, he had heard those words some place before. But where.....?

Suddenly, in asking that question he received much more then he bargained for. 

For the ground underneath him began rumbling and quaking, as if in anticipation of a disaster on a much larger scale.

Then, in the blink of an eye, the ground underneath Vista erupted! Piles upon piles of rocks and dirt shot skyward, taking the bewildered swordsman to the heavens. With a scream, Vista soared through the sky and over the horizon. 

Lina turned to the chimera with a smile of satisfaction.

"Thank you."

Zel nodded.

Suddenly the sorceress blinked. 

"Hold on. Where's Gourry?!"

The answer to that question came much sooner than expected. For the swordsman, with a scream, came plunging out of the sky and landed on the ground with a terrific thud. Apparently Vista wasn't the only one creamed by Zelgadis' spell. 

"Does that answer your question?" Zel replied.

Lina was indeed shocked to see the swordsman plunge from such a height only to crash with such an impact. Yet she couldn't help but giggle. Gourry, although dazed by his unexpected ride and less than satisfactory landing, raised his head. When he saw Zel, his eyes widened and he leant up onto his elbows.

"Zel!" the swordsman cried. "There you are."

"Yes Gourry." the chimera said.

"Did you do that spell?"

"Yes....."

"Can you warn me the next time you do that?!?!" the swordsman yelled, his voice radiating with annoyance.

* * *

Chapter 3  
Contents  



	4. Chapter 3 Return of Diol

The Woodsman Part 3 The Woodsman  
Chapter 3:  
The Return of Diol 

* * *

"Who was that guy, Lina?" Zel asked, his eyes raised towards the sky.

"An old acquaintance." Lina smirked. "He seemed keen to settle some matters over the last time we clashed."

"Why's that?" Gourry asked. 

"Well" Lina chuckled. "I kinda destroyed this gang of bandits that he led. And even back then he seemed quite keen to extract revenge...

Then she was hit by a sudden realisation.

"Hold on, if Vista is here...." she mused. "Then Diol can't be too far away...."

"Who?" Gourry asked. 

"So, what are you two doing out here?" Zel inquired, changing the subject. He wasn't really interested on hearing about Lina's past. What did matter however was locating Amelia.

"Looking for you!" Lina snapped in exasperation. "You and Amelia both disappeared on us this morning!"

Gourry nodded in agreement.

"Say" the swordsman added. "Where is Amelia anyway?"

Zel closed his eyes and bowed his head. 

"I....I.....I woke up this morning" the chimera explained, his voice rich in shame. "And she was gone. She wasn't in my bed or anywhere in the room, or the building for that matter. She had gone completely. The window was open and...and....I concluded that Amelia had been abducted....."

Zel fell silent and he ground his teeth. Once again, he mentally cursed himself for allowing Amelia to be taken away like that.

Suddenly Zel found a hand upon his shoulder. 

The chimera opened his eyes and, much to his surprise, Lina had a placed a comforting hand upon his shoulder and was smiling a warm smile.

"Don't worry Zel" the sorceress said. "We'll find her. I just know it."

Zel nodded. 

"Now do you know how to find Amelia?" Gourry asked. "Because we don't have a clue!"

"Speak for yourself." Lina muttered.

"As a matter of fact," Zel said. "I've managed to find the tracks of our kidnappers. They are headed that way....."

"Right! Off we go then!"

And with that the three adventurers sped off, with Zel leading the way.

"Hey Lina?" Gourry asked. "There's something I don't understand..."

"What?"

"How does that guy already know you?!"

Lina blinked in surprise at Gourry's question. Eventaully she shrugged and continued running.

"We gotta discuss your past sometime!!!" Gourry said.

* * *

Elsewhere, the princess was emerging from a state of sub-conscious. Her deep sleep was rapidly coming to an end and her body was warming up to the prospects of a new day....

But little did Amelia know she was about to receive a very rude awakening!

The princess opened her eyes.....

Gradually, from within her rather dazed state, her blue eyes received the images before her. Her brain comprehended these surroundings.....

Suddenly Amelia's eyes shot open in a flash! Something was definetely not right here! Amelia had no idea what these images before her were but they can't be real. This can't be right!  
Considering the events of the previous evening, she'd expected to be lying in a cosy bed in some inn, with the company of Zelgadis Greywars.....

NOT in (what looked like) some mad scientists' laboratory!

In that instant Amelia forgot all about her half-asleep state. Instead, her brain went into top gear and awoke to a thousand and one questions: Where was she? How did she get here? What was she doing here? Where was Zel or Lina? What the Hell was going on here?

Within seconds, her senses re-established contact with her brain. And it was there and then that she realised that her limbs where held down, kept in check by a rope tied around her. She was imprisoned, trapped, confined within a strange place....

Her eyes growing with annoyance, she struggled out of these confining ropes. She tried to make a break for freedom.....

But to no avail. She was tied securely in place. No amount of struggling would get her out. It would appear that she is stuck here. 

Wherever here is.

Defeated, Amelia gave up on breaking out. It was then that her confused eyes struggled to comprehend the unexpected change of scenery. However it didn't take her long to work out where she was.

Yes, she was indeed within the confines of a mad scientists' laboratory. There were various beakers of liquids and chemicals dotted around the room, some furniture made from the finest pine and a desk illuminated by a strange green light. A light that marked out the outline of a mysterious looking figure....

Suddenly the figure turned around, revealing himself to be a deranged looking old man, sporting a black robe and a huge grey beard. This old man bore a crystal vial of clear liquid and a crazed expression and beady eyes that looked upon the princess with fascination. This nutter had lunatic practically written all over him!

"Ah! You're awake!" the old man said. His voice was definitely vindictive of his appearance. It sounded like the voice of a man whose sanity needed severe questioning.

Amelia was indeed shocked by this unexpected visage and still somewhat dazed from her awakening. Yet she still managed speech:

"Where....Where am I?" she asked.

"You are in my laboratory!" the old man answered.

"I can see that!" Amelia retorted. "Now if this is your lab, then what am I doing here?!"

The old man sniggered evilly. Then he leant in closer towards the princess....

"You" he leered. "Are going to help me with my experiments!"

Amelia flicked her head away from this lunatic. Great. Just great. She was imprisoned by yet another mad scientist who needed some unfortunate sap to complete some deranged experiment. Jeez, she had encountered a lot of these guys in her time spent with Lina. But enough is just enough! Why must Lina keep attracting these type of idiots?! And why must she, Amelia Wil Tesla Saillune, suffer at the hands of these nutters?! She was a princess for crying out loud!  
Oh well, one might guess that there is indeed a price to pay for hanging around a wanted criminal.....

Just then, the old man put his vial forward. Amelia gazed at it with contempt.

"What?" Amelia snapped. She had no time for this lunatic.

"Have some!" the old man said, nodding towards the vial.

"How can I?" Amelia asked, in annoyance. "When I'm all tied up like this?!"

"Oh!" the old man proclaimed, in revelation. "How silly of me! I didn't see that! Perhaps I should work around this problem!"

_Yes you fool_ she thought._ As soon as you untie me, I'm going to teach you a lesson you won't forget!_

But the old man did nothing like that! Instead he rammed his fingers into Amelia's mouth and pulled her jaw down! Then, with his fingers still holding the princess' mouth open, he reached into his robe and pulled out a funnel. Then he placed the funnel into the mouth of the bewildered princess and used it to pour the contents of the vial into the mouth of Amelia! 

The liquid flowed through the funnel and down into Amelia's stomach. But this liquid didn't register well with the said stomach! Amelia's face went from blue to green in quick succession. The old man noticed this change and colour and wisely removed the funnel - Thus allowing Amelia to erupt in a series of coughing spasms.

"Did you enjoy that?" the old man inquired in a slimy fashion.

As Amelia was coughing up a storm, she didn't answer. Yet she managed to glare at the old man. A glare that screamed of hatred and vengeance.

The old man sniggered before turning away and leaving the princess to her own stomach upsets.

Needless to say, the princess wasn't too pleased with this treatment. First she is transported to this bizarre place, then she is forced into being incorporated into some experiment and now she has some revolting liquid, no better suited for livestock or wild animals, poured down her throat! This wasn't no way to treat a princess!

Amelia wiggled around inside these captive ropes. If it wasn't for these ropes, she could teach that old bastard a thing or two!

Amelia then smiled an evil grin. Since when has a Champion of Justice ever been stopped by ropes such as these....?

* * *

"Is this it?" Gourry inquired.

Lina slapped her forehead. Jeez Gourry, what else could it be?!?!

The three friends were standing at the foot of a small tower. As the tower itself was three stories high, it certainly wouldn't have been seen poking out from the trees of this forest. Thus it made the perfect hiding place. And judging by the state of the building, this tower must have been built a long time ago. And in it's lifetime, it must have housed many a refugee and a many a demented warlock (there were only so many in this world). But from the outset, this place looked liked someone had moved in quite recently.

"So I guess this is where Amelia is being held?" Lina asked Zel. 

"It would appear that way." The chimera murmured. 

Suddenly, Lina drew her arm in front of Zelgadis, thus blocking his way. The chimera looked confused.

"Lina?"

"I'm going in there. You stay here with Gourry.'

"But....."

"Zel, I know what you're feeling. But I have a suspicion that this plot has been masterminded by someone I've clashed with before. And I am definitely keen on settling an old score. That and we need someone to watch out for Vista, in case he comes back."

"Besides" she added with a wink. "I'll get Amelia back in one piece!"

And it was with these words that the chimera went bright red. Lina chuckled. 

"Well, I better be off then." the sorceress said brightly. 

And with that she stepped up to the front door of the tower and yanked it open. Surprisingly, it was unlocked. Then, without a further ado, she stepped into the tower. 

"Hey Lina!" Gourry shouted. "I'm coming with you!" 

And with that, he charged for the tower. 

And he would've got there if it wasn't for Zel, holding him back by the hair!

"Not today, Gourry!" Zel said. "This is her fight and hers' alone."

"What do you mean?" 

Zel explained.

Gourry blinked, as his brain did overtime.

"And Lina told you this?" he asked the chimera.

Zel nodded.

"Damn!" the swordsman cursed. "If she discussed her past with you, the least she could've done was discussed it with me too!"

* * *

Lina made her way through the tower. It was definitely seen better days - the walls were darkened, the floor was ruined and the entire place was in decay. Yet, despite the morbid look of this, still Lina pressed on. Her eyes darted everywhere, she also had a fireball spell merely seconds away from being incarnated and unleashed, and her fists were ready for pounding.   
Yes, she was certainly ready for action. Now if she could only find Diol....

Knowing the cunning bastard, he would probably be situated in his laboratory. And that laboratory would certainly found in the lower chambers of this tower. 

Jeez, why do all these evil scientist-types share the same modus-opearandi?!?! 

Suddenly Lina's well honed ears picked up a loud noise. The sorceress stopped immediately. 

Wait a minute here. 

What was that noise?

Hang on

There it is again!

That sounds very much like....  
......screaming?

The sorceress adjusted her ears to this newly-discovered noise. It didn't take long for her suspicions to be confirmed - Yes that noise was truly the sound of someone screaming. A screaming that contained a very masculine ring to it. A screaming that was, without any doubt, produced out of fear. A screaming that was heading this way....

Lina blinked. Eh? What was all this? What was this screaming.....?

Suddenly the screams were joined by a new noise. It was a very feminine voice chanting out words. And it didn't take Lina long to recognise those words as names of spells. Very destructive spells.

And all of these sounds seemed to come from downstairs....

The sorceress smiled a cruel smile. She had a good idea about what was going on.....

Suddenly the door in front of Lina was flung open. And charging towards the sorceress came a very sorry sight indeed. It was an old man - or at least it was an old man. 

However, charcoal could have been a more accurate description!

His robe could have been once a rich black but now it had been torn and caked with burns and ash. The old man's beard was now tattered and scorched. And his eyes were widened with fear. It was in this fear that the old man ran blindly. 

And as a consequence, the old man ran straight into Lina! 

Lina was indeed surprised. Yet it didn't take long for her to retain her evil grin.   
Well, well, well. If it isn't her old friend, Diol. What a pleasure it is to meet again.

It was at that point that the alchemist suddenly came to the conclusion that he had collided into something. Something very solid and immobile.  
But why should this new found object get in his way?! All he ever wants, at this point in time, is to escape and......

Slowly Diol turned his eyes upward.....

And was greeted with a smiling yet dangerously familiar face.

Diol's jaw dropped. The situation has gotten a whole lot worse.....!

"Hey Diol" Lina grinned. "Long time, no see!"

The alchemist said nothing. And how could he? The mere sight of the sorceress had rendered him paralysed with fear. All he could do was quaver in fear, all thoughts of escaping a horrendous demise now all but forgotten.

Suddenly a loud voice broke the silence.

"Hey, where are you old man?! I haven't finished with you!"

Suddenly, from the door that Diol had emerged from, came a newcomer...

And there was Amelia. Looking slightly battered, she still managed to establish the fact she was furious. Furious at being captured, furious at the old man, furious at eating some pig swill of an elixir. 

No, she certainly wasn't too happy about this recent turn of events.

Lina blinked at the princess and then at Diol. Did Amelia do this? Did she whip the alchemist's arse so badly?!

Oh well, one should not underestimate the power of Justice!

"Amelia!" Lina shouted, as she shoved the battered Diol aside.

Upon seeing the her friend, Amelia's fury evaporated completely. Lina! 

Immediately, the princess ran up to the sorceress and gave her a huge hug. 

"Lina!" Amelia cried. "Boy, am I glad to see you!"

"Same here." Lina gagged. "Now can you get your arms off my neck so I can breathe?!?"

"Sure thing!" the princess chuckled. 

And with that she let go of Lina's neck, allowing the sorceress to get her breath back.

"What are you doing here?" Amelia asked.

"Looking for you!" the sorceress answered.

"Did you do that?" Lina continued, indicating to the floor, at the charred remains of Diol.

"Yeah" Amelia said, nodding gravely. 

"Hey! You're doing good, kid!" Lina said, with a wink.

Amelia chuckled. And with that the two friends headed for the door.

But had the two girls turned around, they would've noticed Diol opening his eyes - Eyes that blazed with homicidal fervour. Eyes that blazed with a thirst for a revenge. A revenge that has been a long time coming.  
This wasn't over yet. Not by a long shot....

The blasted sorceress has robbed him of everything - his dignity, his ambitions, his dreams and his money.   
But not now. Now it's going to be different...

* * *

It wasn't long before Lina and Amelia found themselves emerging from the decrepit tower and into the sunshine of the outside world. Amelia blinked, at the sunlight - it was certainly a long time she had spent down there in that miserable lab. 

And then she saw two figures running up. It was Gourry and.....  
...Zelgadis.

"Lina!" the swordsmen cried, vaulting up the steps that led to the tower door and the two girls. "Amelia! Are you all right?"

Lina nodded - As did the princess. Yet it didn't take long for Amelia to settle her eyes upon the chimera Zel....

But Zel wasn't looking too happy. Instead he was looking quite alarmed - His sharp eyes had picked up something behind Lina and Amelia. Something emerging from the darkness of the tower.

"LOOK OUT! BEHIND YOU!!!" the chimera shouted.

Lina, Gourry and Amelia all turned around...  
....To see Diol emerging from the tower, holding a chair high above his head. Although still battered and bruised from Amelia's attack, his eyes still burned with homicidal intent. Along with his ambition to get back at Lina, the alchemist now gripped a chair in his hand. A chair, that could still be used as a formidable weapon, that was merely seconds away from coming crashing down on the three adventurers. 

"...It's not over yet..." Diol growled. "No way...." 

"Look out!" Gourry yelled. 

"DIE LINA INVERSE!!!!" Diol thundered, bringing his weapon down. "I've lost everything because of you!"

Thinking quickly, the swordsman scooped up the two girls in his arms and dived off the flight of steps.   
Much to the disatisfaction of his passengers.

"WHAT THE HELL DO YOU THINK YOU'RE DOING?!?!" Lina shouted. "Put me down! I gotta beat that guy! What's more, I can't let anyone see me in a weak spot like this!!!" 

The airborne trio then landed on the ground with a terrific thud. It was certainly not the best flight trip ever and hardly the most safest flight path, but at least it got them out of harms way.

Yet the swordsman's passengers weren't so grateful. Well, one of them wasn't.

"YOU JELLYFISH BRAINS!!!" Lina snarled, as she tried to squirm from the grip of Gourry's arms. "Do you have any idea how uncomfortable that landing was? Do you have any idea how sore my arse is now?!?!!?"

"Calm down Lina!" Amelia cried, she too being within the confines of Gourry's strong arms. "Don't yell at Gourry! He saved us from getting knocked out!"

"Yes but did he have be be so rough!??!?!" the sorceress argued.

But no amount of bickering could conceal one fact: Diol was still standing and he seeemd quite keen to extract vengeance on the red-head whose caused him so much trouble. If Lina had not been berating Gourry, she would've noticed. If Amelia had not been trying to reason with Lina she would've noticed. If Gourry had been down on the floor, he would've noticed.

Diol marched down the steps that led to the tower door, still weilding his chair.

Fortunately, someone did notice his progress.

It was Zelgadis.

"MEGA BRAND!!!" the chimera shouted.

Seconds later, the ground underneath Diol erupted with a tremendous roar. And in an instant, the mad alchemist was blasted into the air. Diol then sailed through the air and disappeared over the horizon, to points unknown.

The chimera, now pleased to see the alchemist disappear, now strolled over to his three companions - all of whom were lying down on the grass. Zel went to Amelia first and knelt beside her. 

"Amelia? Are you all right?"

Amelia's eyes shot open. When she saw the chimera, her face burst into the most happiest expression. 

"Zel! I'm so glad to see you...."

The chimera smiled back. "Come I'll help you..."

Zel then proceeded to lift up Gourry's arm, so the princess can wiggle out. The chimera then helped the princess to her feet.....  
...To the sounds of wolf whistles. 

There, was Lina, unaware that she was still wrapped up in Gourry's other arm, and Gourry, still in a prostrate position after his dive. Both were grinning devilishly at, the now blushing, Zel and Amelia. 

"Oh, isn't love grand?" Lina chuckled teasingly.

"I wouldn't go around saying stuff like that!" Zel shot back. 

Lina blinked. Suddenly she and the swordsman came to the sudden revelation that she was still wrapped up in his arm! In a split second, they quickly withdrew from each other, looking extremely embarrassed. Now it was their turn to blush. 

Amelia started giggling at the absurdity of the situation. Even Zel grinned in amusement.

"Well now" Amelia said. "How about some breakfast?"

* * *

Chapter 4  
Contents  



	5. Chapter 4 Darkness Looming

The Woodsman Part 4 The Woodsman  
Chapter 4  
Darkness Looming 

* * *

Some time later, the four adventurers found themselves back at the inn, celebrating their victory over Diol with an enormous breakfast. They were situated in a booth, with Amelia and Zel at one side and Lina and Gourry, both enjoying the prospect of a second breakfast, on the other. And it was during this feeding frenzy that conversation blossomed.

"An invitation?" Zelgadis asked. 

"Yeah, to a party!" Lina grinned.

At the mention of a party, Amelia's eyes lit up. Zel, on the other hand, didn't look terribly excited. With the frustration that was his cursed appearance always taking up every square inch of his mind, the prospect of such a social gathering did little to excite him. Instead he retained his usual stoic expression.

"Whose party?" the chimera asked. 

"Martina's!" Lina answered. "She and Zangulus are celebrating a wedding anniversary!"

At the mention of the lunatic princess, Zel's head came crashing down on the table. Sure the prospect of such a social gathering was bad enough (Considering the chimera's obsession with to keep a low profile with such a cursed form) but a social gathering organised by _Martina_?!?!.   
Ever since the afore-mentioned wedding, he'd thought he had seen the last of that demented princess. How fickle fate can be.....  
Amelia on the other hand was overjoyed at the news. She clasped her hands and her eyes sparkled. 

"Their wedding anniversary!" she sighed. "How romantic!"

Lina slapped her forehead in disbelief. Amelia was a good friend but damn, she can get so embarrassing at times....

Zel raised his head off the table.

"You can't be serious!" he groaned.

Amelia returned his expression of contempt with a sly grin. She knew exactly what he was thinking. He wasn't well-adjusted to the discussion of all things romantic. Zel found such a discussion embarrassing and avoided it at all costs. Oh, how he hated it!   
Yes, Amelia certainly knew what the chimera was thinking.  
And she also knew how to deal with it! Immediately, a large blush worked it's way across Zel's face.   
Damn, he hates this romantic stuff....

Zel turned away from Amelia, readily convinced that she had turned against him. But Zel glanced across the table at Lina and Gourry. The chimera didn't want to go to this wedding anniversary at all. He needed support for his cause.   
And if such support is required he'll have to find in the sorceress and the swordsman.

"Lina? Are you going too?" 

"Yeah Zel, as matter of fact, I am."

Zel blinked in astonishment. He knew for a fact that Martina and Lina weren't exactly the best of friends. Why, as Zel recalled, the majority of their time spent together was invested in bickering and arguing - While a small minority of the time was invested with cooperating with each other. Yet why would the sorceress want to get involved with that princess' company?

Lina caught his gaze. Smiling in a satisfactory manner, she reached over the table and picked up a piece of toast. Still smiling in a cunning fashion, she then proceeded to shake it before her face.

Zel groaned. It was pointless arguing with Lina as the food ALWAYS overrules. 

Seeking support, the chimera turned to Gourry. Fortunately for Zel, the swordsman shared the same expression of contempt. He too was not exactly keen on seeing Martina again.   
Zel let out a small sigh of relief. Yes, there could be a chance he won't lose this argument entirely!

"Gourry?" Zel asked, hopefully. "Are you going to Martina's party too?"

The swordsman, opened his mouth, ready to deliver his distaste for not going....

....And it would've come had not Lina butted in.

"Yes Gourry" the sorceress said, making sure the swordsman could clearly see her hand mould into a fist. "Are you?"

It didn't take long for Gourry to reach a decision. Without any hesitation whatsoever, he nodded his head.

Much to Zel's annoyance.

Defeated, he slumped back in his chair. His arguments had fallen on deaf ears. All prospects of escaping this fate came crashing to the floor.  
Well, it would appear that he'll be going too....

Just then, the table was approached by a the tavern waiter. He was a young man with an appearance tht was tidy and clean cut. He was well-shaven with a clean haircut and dressed in trousers with a shirt and waistcoat.  
The waiters name was Antonio and it was he who presented the table with the bill.

The four adventurers turned away from the window and towards Antonio.

"Did you all enjoy your meal?" Antonio inquired.

All four of the diners nodded.  
Pleased with such a reaction, Antonio presented Lina with the bill.

She was just about to pay....

When a loud noise thundered from outside.

In an instant the four adventurers got to their feet and took off outside, eager to investigate. Antonio, along with a few other curious diners, followed.

What awaited Lina and friends was nothing short of unsettling.

Outside, a group of people marched down the street. They were led by a young man holding afloat the severed head of an old woman. 

"The murderer has struck again!" the man shouted. It was this sentence that he shouted over and over again, informing the world of a crime most dreadful.

The people that followed the young man were at once shocked, revolted, distrubed and distressed at the horrendous deed. They also joined the messenger in marching through Dakeyras as the world was informed of this atrocity.

Near the procession, another group had gathered. It was a mixture of ordinary dressed people and some dignitaries - Obviously the dignitaries represented the village elders. The group itself was involved in a rather heated discussion. The expressions of the people was a mixture of anger, fear and annoyance. The townsfolk looked absolutely appalled with the situation and the dignataries tried to establish order. 

Lina, Gourry, Amelia and Zel all blinked at this bizarre sight. Antonio, who was standing close by, bowed his head.

"What the....?" Gourry asked, more confused then usual.

Amelia quickly turned to Antonio.

"What's going on here?" she asked. "What's he saying about a murderer?"

Antonio looked up and blinked. Then his expression turned grave.

"For the past few day's Dakeyras has been threatened by a murderer." Antonio said solomnly. "He has been murdering one person every day for a week now. Yet upon every murder, he severs the head and throws in our midst."

Lina took in this information caefully, before tunring a round and heading back into the tavern, not wanting to see another moment of this bizarre procession. Her friends followed.

"So" Gourry asked. "What do we do now?"

"What do we do?" Lina echoed, as she laid the money for the bill on the table. "We go to Martina's party of course!"

Amelia blinked in astonishment.

"You mean to tell me that while this village is threatened by a murderer, we are just going to turn our back's on it?!!?" she cried.

Lina nodded.

"WHAT?!?" Amelia yelled. "You are telling me to turn my back on my duties as a Champion of Justice!?!?" 

Lina groaned. Here we go again....  
Better duck out.

"Do what you like." Lina said slyly. "But I'm going to Martina's party!"

And with that she pushed past her friends and headed for the door. Gourry shrugged before taking off after the red-head.

Amelia was now left with Zel. She turned to the chimera.

"What are you going to do Zel?" she asked.

"I'm staying here!" he replied in a definitive tone.

"Really?" Amelia asked, with eyes sparkling. Does he really want to help her in her cause a Champion of Justice?!

Zel nodded.

"There is no way I'm going to see Martina again!"

Upon hearing this, Amelia's high hopes can crashing to the floor. They were not the words she was expecting.....  
The now distraught princess covered her eyes with her plam and shook her head.  
Suddenly, two pairs of arms descended upon the chimera! And before Zel knew what was happeneing, these arms were dragging him out of the tavern! Then, from outside the tavern came a voice that was familiar but radiating with triumph.

"Really?" said the voice. "We're not going to let you escape that easily Zelly boy!"

Amelia, now feeling quite upset at neglecting the Call of Justice, sighed heavily. Then she took off after her friends.

* * *

Elsewhere, many miles away, an evil force was brooding. 

In a cave somewhere, a tall robed figure was concocting some evil plot. He stood before a crystal ball, upon a plinth, with his hands outstretched and ready for casting a spell....   
Knowing that fool Diol, he would've, by now, applied the elixir to his chimera design. Once he saw the pay he was gong to receive, his agreement to assist in this devious scheme wasn't too difficult to obtain.

And he didn't even bother to ask what this elixir was going to do!

The tall figure allowed himself a victorious chuckle. He still couldn't believe his luck on finding that elixir, even after all this time. It was during one of his many travels that he stumbled upon it....

It was on a day that he experienced the best luck in ages. It was by pure luck that he had stumbled upon some ruins. Upon closer examination, these ruins proved to be the remains of the lab of the legendary Rezo! Amazing! Remarkable! It was still here! Just think what treasure troves these ruins can reveal! 

With such a find, Lady Luck can only bestow such wealth. And indeed she did! 

It wasn't long before he made a discovery of the rarest kind: A crystal vial. Untouched, unscratched, undamaged. And that was more astonishing: It had managed to survive the destruction of the laboratory and still contained it's cargo, in an intact container.

Still marvelling at his incredible luck, he left the ruins with his newly-discovered elixir. 

An elixir that had now found itself into the naive Diol's hands.....

Yes, things were just getting better and better....

More better then anticipated, for both himself and his associates.

The tall figure grimaced at the thought of his "associates". No doubt about it, they were certainly not the best choice of companions. Sure they exhibited the highest level of intelligence anywhere. Sure they seemed interested in the pursuit of science. Sure they, unlike everyone else on this forsaken continent, seemed to have got their act together. Sure they have contributed crucial input to this project.....

Yet they weren't exactly the most trustworthy people in the world. 

What was worse that these other two seemed to look down their nose at him. They saw him not as a colleague but as a maggot, a slave, a pawn, someone not destined for success.

No matter how much he contributed to this project, his part was always overlooked. 

But one thing's for sure. He will make them pay. Yes, he certainly will.....

Suddenly the robed figure sensed the presence of another.

Looking up, he saw another robed figure enter the cave. The tall figure glared with intense hatred at this newcomer.

"You." the tall one rasped.

The newcomer nodded. 

"Has it been done?" the newcomer inquired, bearing a voice rich in femineity. 

The tall figure nodded. 

"Yes, that fool Diol seemed quite eager to incorporate an extra ingredient into his chimera plan."

"Once he saw the money, I guess." The woman chuckled.

The tall man nodded. 

"So where is our little puppet now?" the woman demanded.

"That is what I'm trying to find out" 

Suddenly a third voice rang out through the cave. This new voice was more masculine compared to the shrouded woman but was still fairly high-pitched.

"Really?" mocked this new voice. "You couldn't find anything even if you tried!"

Upon hearing this comment, the tall man growled and lowered his head, as plots of vengeance began again sprouting in his head.

Within seconds, the owner of this new voice came into view. 

He too was bedecked in a hooded robe - just like his compatriots. But he did not share the same stature. This newcomer possessed the body of a young man, a teenager. Even if he was concealed by a robe, one could tell, without much difficulty, the age of this newcomer's body.

But, unlike the tall man, the woman received this newcomer more warmly.

"Aha, it is good to see you again!" the woman greeted.

"And what a pleasure it is to see you too!" the teenager answered.

Then, this newcomer walked around to the tall man and slapped him on the back.

"And how are you, Bag-of-bones?"

"Don't call me that, Dammit!" the tall man roared.

"Yeah whatever, Bag-of-bones" came the reply.

"So tell me" the teenager went on, now addressing the woman. "Is everything proceeding according to the schedule?"

But the woman did not give a direct answer. Instead she looked past the teenager and towards the tall man.

"Yes, is everything according to the schedule?" 

The tall man let out another soft growl. This was totally unbelievable. Why would they care about the events that he brought about? It was not like they did any recent work. It was not like they had done a thing in recent months. It was not like they treated him as anything but an underling. Why would they care?

Nevertheless, the tall man gave his rasping response. 

"I successfully paid Diol off into utilising that elixir, in to his chimera plan. Thus it shouldn't be too long before we three begin to reap the benefits of that little venture..."

"And what did that elixir do anyway?" the teenager demanded.

"As far as I know" the tall man answered. "It will bring that creation of Diol's under our control. It will produce us with a puppet!"

"And where is the chimera now?" the teenager asked, impatiently. 

Suddenly, before the tall man could answer, the crystal ball lit up with a blaze of orange, fire and yellow. A blaze that burned with such ferocity that it illuminated the entire cave in a bright glow. The three robed figures all turned to gaze upon this out-burst, their eyes revealing a mixture of bewilderment, anticipation, wonder and fear.

Eventually the blaze settled down within the ball. The glow that emerged from the ball's depths had now died down. The cave had now retained it's original gloom, yet the crystal ball still burned with this newly-discovered fury. 

The three onlookers approached the plinth cautiously, they movements intoxicated with fear, hesitation and curiosity. As they stared, their eyes grew larger in astonishment. For within the flames of the crystal ball, images grew into focus. Where was once just a raging flame now produced shapes. Shapes that could be easily identified......

"Well" the tall man proclaimed smugly. "Does that answer your question?"

As the three robed figures watched, their eyes adjusted to the change in the swirling shapes and established the element of focus required. As the images registered within the brains of the trio, their eyes grew ever more surprised.

"What's this?"

"I don't believe it!"

"Unbelievable!"

"Can this be real?"

It was there, within the flames of the crystal ball, that the trio was presented with the first glance of the puppet. The first glance of their newly-acquired too. The first glance of the vital cog in their devious scheme......

"SHE'S our puppet?" the tall man rasped.

"How on earth did Diol acquire her?!" the teenager gaped.

Only the woman seemed undisturbed: "Oh well, at least she's a pretty one."

"Hold on." The teenager said. "It would appear that she isn't alone."

That was true. Not only did the crystal reveal the identity of the puppet, but it also established the fact that she wasn't alone. 

"It seems to me" the tall man mused. "That our little puppet is on the move and she isn't travelling alone." 

In the silence that followed, the tall man silently cursed. This was indeed a most unpleasant change in events. They finally acquire their puppet but it now seems to be moving away from them. Worst still this unexpected transportation was being conducted in the company of others. This made things difficult and indeed created a rather large hazard in the trio's nefarious scheme.....

It seems their luck has finally run it's course....

The woman blinked at the images of the people accompanying their "puppet".

"Who are these other people? I think I've seen them some place before....."

"Who cares?!" snapped the teenager. "What matter's is that they have our puppet and it is falling out of our grip! We must get this puppet back and quickly!"

The other two nodded.

"Right." the woman grinned. "I think it's time we had some fun with our puppet....."

* * *

Chapter 4.5  
Contents  



	6. Chapter 45 Journey to Sairaag

The Woodsman Part 4.5 The Woodsman  
Chapter 4.5  
The Journey to Sairaag 

* * *

As luck would have it, the distance between Dakeyras and Sairaag was only a few days travel. And it was with this knowledge that the foursome headed out of the civilisation of the village and into the dangers of the surrounding forests. Lina naturally led the way - And who could stop her? This was the life she was used to: Out on the open road, travelling on a journey thwarted with danger and the ever-present opportunity to make a quick buck!

Gourry followed behind the red-head, also looking quite delighted. Off to another adventure! Off to another helping of food, treasure and bandits to clobber! Of course, he would gladly do anything with his sorceress friend. Why, he would even march right into the bowels of Hell - just as long as it was with Lina.

Amelia and Zelgadis followed a short distance behind - together. 

But they weren't as eager as the swordsman and the sorceress. Zelgadis walked along, with his usual grim mask of determination - only now it was integrated with a reluctance to see Martina again. 

Amelia, however, was different. She didn't look too bothered but she was growing worried by the chimera's grim expression. What was even worse was that a deathly silence hung between the two. This was not good. Not good at all.....

Amelia's hand clenched into a fist. She had worked so hard to get Zel to warm up to her. She had worked so hard to get Zel to surrender to her. She had worked so hard to get the chimera to return her love for him. She had worked so hard to get this far. 

And there was no way in Hell she was turning back. 

"Zel?" she asked. 

The chimera didn't answer. Instead he let out a grumbling noise. 

Amelia was indeed perplexed by this, but she didn't falter. 

"What's on your mind?"

"Why am I doing this? Why am I going back to Sairaag?" the chimera asked.

"To see Martina and Zangulus of course!"

"That's just it!" Zel groaned. Who'd want to see them again?!

Amelia smiled a sly smile. She could tell what Zel was thinking....

Cunningly, Amelia slipped both her arms around Zel's arm and continued walking. Instantaneously, Zel's face broke into an enormous blush. 

Amelia picked up on this and her smile grew even wider. This was good......

"It's their wedding anniversary you know." she whispered softly. "Oh, think how great life would be when one gets married..."

As Amelia neared the end of her sentence, she brought stress onto the final word. This made the chimera's face grow even redder. When Amelia noticed this, she giggled teasingly. He was so uncomfortable with all things romantic - yet this disgust provides an area of change. An area of change which would be plenty enough to keep the princess occupied.

Zel didn't look at the princess. Instead he blushed a blush that was brighter than a basket of ripe tomatoes. He knew Amelia was but teasing.....  
....but there was absolutely no chance in Hell that he would get used to this romance crap.

Suddenly he heard a noise. 

Immediately he stopped dead in his tracks. 

What was that? He was certain he heard a.....

Suddenly, Amelia's face broke out of a smile and into a look of concern. 

"What's wrong?"

"I do believe" Zel replied slowly. "We are not alone...."

Then, much to Amelia's disappointment, he pulled his hand free. 

Suddenly Lina's ears picked up the sound of a twig breaking. She could easily identify the sound after spending so long on the road and contending with over-ambitious brigands. The sound could only come from one source - If someone had stepped on it!

Immediately she stopped dead in her tracks. Behind her, Gourry immediately sensed danger. if Lina had stopped in her journey, then something must be wrong.....

"Lina! Is something wrong?"

"You know Gourry" the sorceress grinned. "I think we are about to be ambushed."

"Ambushed?"

Suddenly the swordsman's eyes lit up. Ambushed? If Lina is talking about being ambushed then it could only mean one thing....

A decent fight!

Lina turned around to see Zel and Amelia hurry on their way up to join the sorceress. Judging by the look on the chimera's face, Lina could tell he too was aware of these intruders. 

Wherever and whatever they were.

"So" Amelia asked. "Where are these bandits?"

She bore a manic glint in her eye. A glint that could only come from being a Champion of Justice. 

She got her answers much sooner then she expected. 

Suddenly, from the trees came a deathly wail. This was followed by a clacking of bones and the movements of long deceased joints.   
Seconds later, a huge mob of skeletons burst from the trees, clutching rusting weapons and riding on the most malevolent and forbidden sorcery. It was these skeletons that surrounded the foursome. 

The four grouped together, back to back. 

"What's this?" Amelia said. "The dead are being denied of their eternal rest? This is a violation of the Code of Justice! Why....."

"Amelia?" Zel asked. "Can that wait?"

Next thing the chimera knew, Amelia brought a fist down onto his head! 

"You dare interrupt a Champion of Justice?!?"

"Hey!" Gourry snapped. "We're meant to be fighting these skeletons! Not ourselves!"

The princess and the chimera nodded. And with that, Zel and Gourry both drew their swords with dramatic flourish. Amelia and Lina opened their hands, ready to release a spell most destructive. The scene was set for a titanic clash.....

"Right" Lina grinned, as the skeletons advanced. "Which one of you numbskulls would like to be first?" 

The sorceress was merely seconds away from preparing a fireball as the skeletons advanced....

But to her surprise the skeletons in front of her didn't seem interested in her! Instead they walked right past her, completely oblivious to the legendary bandit-killer. 

Lina blinked in astonishment. She turned her head to see Gourry and Zel suffering the same problem. They too shared equally surprised expressions. 

"What's going on here?" Lina snapped.

"They're all ignoring us!" Gourry said. "They're all walking past us...."

".....And towards Amelia." Zel finished grimly. 

That was true. All the skeletons were advancing onto Amelia. They had succeeded in cutting her off from the other three and now bore down on the surrounded princess with weapons raised. 

Amelia blinked in horror. She had never faced a large number of opponents such as this! And neither in such a small space. 

Desperately, she cast a fireball into the ranks of undead. It succeeded in blasting some of them to a crisp. Yet still the horde advanced. In desperation, she let out a whole series of fireballs. These fireballs incinerated the horde and created a large space around the princess. But to no avail. There were just too many skeletons. Too many skeletons that continued their relentless advance. The situation looked grim.....

Suddenly a furious voice rang out from the behind the horde.

"YOU BASTARDS! I'LL TEACH YOU TO IGNORE ME!!!!!"

Immediately, Amelia's eyes lit up. She could recognise that voice a mile away. Lina!

Suddenly the horde of skeletons were blasted apart by a series of fireballs. The undead turned away from their target only to face an oblivion of flame. These fireballs were then followed by another danger - a tall swordsman with a wicked blade who creamed the skeletons with no difficultly whatsoever. The tall swordsman was accompanied by, much to Amelia's joy, a chimera wielding a deadly blade which cut through the horde with the greatest of ease. 

Amelia let a sigh of relief. Zel! He wouldn't let her die! He wouldn't let her succumb to a death most horrible such as that! He wouldn't leave her in times of crisis! He really was someone who really cared for her....

Within seconds the horde was completely destroyed. All of the skeletons were destroyed with the combined talents of Gourry, Zel and a rather furious Lina.

Amelia looked up to see a rather compassionate Zel place a gentle hand upon her shoulder, Gourry looking pleased with himself and Lina looking quite annoyed.

"Did they have any idea as to who they're dealing with here?!" the sorceress muttered.

"Are you all right?" Zel asked, his voice radiating with concern.

Amelia smiled and nodded.

* * *

Aside from the skeleton's attack, the trip to Sairaag was relatively uneventful. Apart from the odd bandit gang, roaming monster, over-ambitious swordsmen wanting Lina's head, resting at some tavern and feeding frenzies, the entire trip was fairly quiet, and nothing out of the ordinary happened. 

However, one day's journey short of Sairaag, something unusual occurred.

One evening, the foursome had found themselves unable to find an inn. Being stuck in the middle of a highway with a rapid decrease of natural light, they had little choice but to pitch some tents for the night. Lina, not willing to place her trust in either Gourry or Zel, insisted on having her own tent. Gourry seemed quite obliging - even though he pitched his tent quite close to Lina's. This left Amelia and Zel left to share the last tent. Amelia didn't look too bothered but Zel looked absolutely embarrassed. 

Yet despite these rather awkward sleeping arrangements, the rest of the night passed without incident. 

It was in the early morning when Zelgadis awoke suddenly. Although his senses were laden with sleep, he still managed to detect a soft breeze caressing his face. Zel, although still confined to a state of being half asleep, blinked. A breeze? Here? What the hell....?

Zel's lazy eyes relocated their gaze upwards.....  
....Only to see the tent flap open and dancing in the soft morning breeze.

Zelgadis raised a lazy eyebrow at this sight. What's this? Who had opened up the tent....?

The chimera turned his head over....  
....Only to see an empty space. 

Suddenly, although still in a state of being half-asleep, Zel's brain registered a state of alarm. Amelia? She's not here?! Where has she gone? Why would she disappear so abruptly at this early hour?! He had never known her to do something like that.....  
....Unless something was wrong...

Zel rolled over and sat up in his sleeping bag. He then pulled himself free from his confinement and poked his head out of the tent.

All around was a soft morning mist, coating everything in a haze of grey. It was in this haze that all objects within a two metre radius were concealed from human eyes. All it needed was the light of the sun to come and penetrate all of it's shielding power. 

Zel blinked at this haze. Well, this is good. If Amelia is somewhere out here in this mist then she's certainly not going to be easy to find.....

Suddenly his ears caught the sound of someone coughing.

Zel grinned. Well, that sound could certainly help him find Amelia....

He then stepped out of the tent and made his way through the mist, in the direction of the coughing. 

But this was no ordinary coughing. Instead it was extremely violent and came in various spasms that were at once both rapid and relentless.

Zel blinked at these spasms. Something was amiss here. Something didn't feel right....

Eventually, Zel caught sight of a humanoid shape situated in the mist. This shape was hiding under, what appeared to be, a heavy blanket and sitting upon a fallen log.

Yet as Zel approached this figure, he could recognise the voice pitch of the coughing and the basic shapes of the figure itself.

It was Amelia.

Zel increased his pace towards the princess. Already now, he could sense something was wrong.....

"Amelia!" he called.

The princes turned her head in the chimera's direction but it wasn't long before she returned her head to it's previous position.

Zel made his way over to the princess. 

"Amelia?" he asked. "Is something wrong?" 

When she didn't answer, Zel immediately hit upon the notion that something was indeed wrong. He then sat down on the log beside her. 

And for a time not a word was spoken. A silence hung upon the two. A silence that was both deafening and an annoyance. Zel wanted to know what was troubling Amelia. It wasn't like her to behave like this. If there was a danger plaguing her then.....

Suddenly the silence was broken by another one of Amelia's coughing spasms. 

This only added to Zelgadis' annoyance. She was suffering from the most terrible of coughing and all he could do was sit in silence! Now he was in a position where he felt he had to do something. He couldn't sit by when Amelia was in trouble. He had to do something. Anything!

Gently he reached out his hand and laid it gently on Amelia's shoulders....

And then the princess raised her head towards his direction....

Only to reveal her eyes being full of tears. 

Zel blinked as the princess buried her face into his chest, sobbing loudly. 

Closing his eyes, the chimera then began to gently stroke her hair....

And suddenly he opened his eyes again. Something didn't feel right here.....

Something was wrong here: Previously when he stroked her hair, it seemed so soft, so delicate. Now it seemed more...  
....rigid?!

Zel's eyes hardened. First Amelia disappears, then she erupts in coughing spasms and now this! Something was going on here. Something that was most definitely not right here.....

"Oh, Zelgadis!" Amelia sobbed.

Immediately, Zel was brought back to earth to concentrate on the princess' condition....

"Amelia, what were you doing out here?" Zel asked, in a manner that was at once both compassionate and tender. 

"I had the most terrifying dream!" the princess exclaimed through her sobs.

"Yes, go on...." the chimera said, prompting her to explain. If this dream was indeed troublesome enough, then he must know what happened in it. And if it was enough to break her to tears then it must've been a distressing dream indeed.

"I was in these woods" Amelia wept. "And I saw this man cutting a tree with an axe. Then the man looked up at me and his eyes.... They burned! They burned with such a force...."

Amelia never got to finish her description. Instead she collapsed into Zel's rocky chest, bawling her eyes out. The shock of the princess' dream had become too much to bear.

Zel closed his eyes and tenderly wrapped his arms around the princess cradling her quivering, weeping form. 

"It's all right now...." he whispered. 

* * *

Chapter 5  
Contents  



	7. Chapter 5 Persuing Evil

The Woodsman part 5 The Woodsman  
Chapter 5  
Pursuing Evil 

* * *

Later, the dawn had passed through and the morning sun was well and truly climbing to it's post to fulfill it's destiny of radiating light to the world. It was at this point in time that Amelia went with Zel back to the campsite. She was quite shaken by her nightmare and leant on the chimera for support. A support that Zel was only too willing to provide. He certainly didn't like to see the princess as upset as this.....

When they both finally arrived at the campsite, they were greeted with the sight of Lina and Gourry. They were both wide awake and eying the pair with suspicion.

"Ah! There you are." Gourry said.

"Where have you two been?" Lina demanded. "We woke up to find your tent empty! We were wondering where you had got to...."

Zel gently set Amelia down on a fallen log as the sorceress and the swordsman looked imploringly at the princess for answers.

"...I...I....had a nightmare...." Amelia said softly.

Lina blinked. Amelia had a nightmare.....? Was that it.....?

Wait a minute, she certainly looks like hell. Did she really have such a horrific nightmare?  
Or was there something more?

"I see" Lina said. "And what was Zel doing keeping you company?!"

Suddenly both Zel and Amelia broke out into a pair of bright red blushes. Lina grinned a grin that was at once both teasing and triumphant.

"I see!" the sorceress chuckled. "You've been getting it on behind our backs!"

Suddenly Zelgadis' eyes turned angry.

"Silence!" he snarled. "This is no time for jokes! Can't you see Amelia's in a state of distress?!!?"

"Yeah sure" Lina grinned. "There you go Zel, always defending your princess!!!!"

And with these words, Zel's blush grew even redder. 

"Oh come on Zel." Lina cowered. "You think I wouldn't notice things like this! I know you and Amelia are an item!"

Zel snorted in disgust.

"Oh what's the matter?" Lina laughed. "You two look so cute together!!!"

That was the last straw. Zel scowled in fury and stormed off over to his tent. Despite that intimate moment he'd just shared with Amelia, Nothing will ever change his uncomfortable attitude towards all things romantic.   
Amelia giggled at Lina's teasing. It was this laughter that helped her forget the horrors of her nightmare. It was this laughter that made her feel better. It was this laughter that calmed her mind.

"Oh Lina" Amelia grinned. "Why do you have to be so cruel?'

"Hey, I just gotta be me!" 

And with that the sorceress sat down alongside Amelia.

"So you know?" Amelia asked.

"How could I not know?" Lina grinned. "It was fairly darn obvious"

Amelia blinked. 

"No it wasn't!" she argued. How could Lina be so perceptive?!

"Ah, I was just kidding!" Lina laughed. "Damn, you two go so ballistic!!"

Then, Lina's face turned to face Amelia directly, all laugh lines evaporating.

"But seriously kid." Lina said. "I'm happy for you both. I'm so glad that you stuck by your feelings for him through thick and thin. And hey, your presence is certainly working up some change to his behaviour. You'll do well together."

Amelia's face burst into an enormous smile.

"Thank you Lina." 

"Uh Lina? Amelia?"

The two girls turned to face a very baffled looking Gourry rubbing the back of his head.

"Can you explain what's going on here?!?!"

* * *

After breakfast, the foursome continued on their way to Sairaag. The trip itself was fairly, and quite unusually, quiet. There were little bandit gangs to clobber and no such obstacles on the road to the adventurer's destination. 

Yet this final leg of the journey was plagued with one hazard that made travelling difficult: Amelia. Her coughing spasms were growing frequent and more violent with each passing fit. She constantly lagged behind Lina, Gourry and Zel. Eventually Zel, in a rare act of kindness, lent his shoulder for Amelia to lean on. This way, he helped her to complete the journey to Sairaag.

Despite some sniggering from Lina and Gourry at the chimera's devotion. 

In the late afternoon, the four all reached their goal. 

And there was Sairaag. Rising above the landscape like an enormous beacon of stone and plaster. It was indeed amazing that the residents of Sairaag had managed to rebuild their home since Lina's last visit. And in such a short space of time too. Such a feat of engineering such as this would've taken at least ten or maybe twelve years. But all this was done in three? Incredible! Amazing! Astounding!

Needless to say, the four adventurers were impressed. They all gazed up at the rebuilt Sairaag in awe-struck wonder. 

"This is Sairaag?!" Zel gasped in disbelief. "Unbelievable!"

"It's certainly changed since I was last here." Amelia whispered.

"This is not how I remember it." Gourry said in his typical diminutive fashion.

"You know Gourry?" Lina said. "I think I'm gonna agree with you just this once."

Yet it didn't take long for the sorceress to break out of her enchantment for the rebuilt Sairaag. Who cares about this place?! Its still Sairaag! And since when has she ever been so concerned about property development anyway?!  
What matters that if Sairaag is well and truly rebuilt, then that must mean that somewhere in that city is a restruant with her name written all over it!

"Okay then!" she said brightly. "How about we go find some food?"

Gourry blinked out of his trance, before moulding his mouth into an enormous grin. 

"Right behind ya, Lina!"

And with that the two friends sped off towards Sairaag, in pursuit of a comfortable inn and whatever food it has on offer!

Zelgadis didn't rush off as fast however. Instead, his primary concern was with Amelia. She was now looking a lot worse for wear. Her face was beginning to lose it's colour, her eyes were growing heavy and she wasn't exactly a picture of health. 

Zel's eyes hardened. This wasn't good. What on earth was going on here?! Ever since she was liberated from the mad alchemist, Amelia's health had gone downhill. She seemed to be struck down with a plague or something....

But one things for certain: Something had indeed happened at the alchemist's laboratory. Something horrendous no doubt....

"Amelia?" Zel asked. "Are you all right?"

"Zelgadis...." the princess moaned softly. "I don't feel so good...."

Suddenly Amelia's eyelids caved in over her pupils. With her face pale and her body in a somewhat weakened state, Amelia toppled forward and into the arms of an indeed astonished Zelgadis.

She'd fainted.

* * *

Zel gently laid Amelia down on the bed. She was still out cold. The chimera then took a step back away from the bed. Why would Amelia pass out like that? Why would she loss consciousness in such an abrupt way? What the hell DID happen in that alchemist's laboratory?!

Who can truly understand evil in all of it's shapes and guises?

Zel sighed before leaving Amelia. He closed the door behind him and headed downstairs to join Lina and Gourry. But his journey downstairs wasn't a peaceful one. His mind was in turmoil. A million thoughts of guilt and self-punishment ran riot within his brain.

Amelia was no doubt plagued by an evil force. An evil force that was creating a peculiar destruction upon her psyche and that could not be seen, detected or traced back to it's source.

An evil force that he was powerless to prevent.

Zel mentally cursed himself. Everything had gone downhill ever since Amelia got kidnapped and taken to that lunatic alchemist's tower. What was worse was that he allowed her to be abducted like that! Where was he when she was abducted? Fast asleep! He was slumbering while she was stolen right from under his nose - an act that he could've easily prevented. 

And now she was beset by an evil force that he can't fight.  
And all because he wasn't around when she needed him most.....

Zelgadis' hand moulded into a fist. He was such a FOOL! Why would he allow something like that to happen to the princess?!?!

But one thing's for certain, he would track down the bastard who did this to Amelia and make him pay.

In blood.

By this time Zel had reached the dining room of the inn. Now, he scanned the room trying to locate Lina and Gourry.

He didn't have too much difficulty finding them. 

There they were, sitting at a table going for a whole heap of food with great gusto. Knowing their eating habits, how could one not pick them out of the crowded room of diners? 

Zel casually picked his way through the crowd and approached his friends. Lina looked up and saw him.

"Hiya Zel!" she grinned.

"Lina. Gourry" Zel answered, as he sat himself down at the table.

Suddenly he felt a cold shiver run down his spine.

He could feel many pairs of eyes gazing upon him. Gazing at him as if he was some sort of freak. Staring at him and his freakish appearance. Staring at him and boring their accusing gaze right into his soul....

Zel shot these onlookers an evil glare. A glare that certainly made the patrons in the inn turn away rather hurriedly. 

The chimera sighed in contempt. The day he finds his cure is the day he doesn't suffer the agony of being perceived as a monster.

And when that day comes, he's going to seize it like no other....

"How's Amelia?" Gourry inquired, thus bringing Zel's thoughts back down to Earth.

"She's still out cold" the chimera replied.

"Do you know why she passed out?" Lina asked.

"No" Zel answered. "But I'm determined to find out...."

"Lina" he went on, urgency radiating in his voice. "Do you know if anything happened when you were in that alchemist's laboratory?"

"I can't say that I do." Lina answered. "By the time I showed up, Amelia was certainly giving Diol a seeing to!"

Gourry blinked. "Diol?"

"That's the name of the alchemist who kidnapped Amelia" Lina said, in an attempt to enlighten the swordsman.

Surprisingly this attempt worked, as Gourry nodded.

"Are you sure you don't know what happened to Amelia?" Zel asked the sorceress. 

"Of course I'm sure." Lina sighed.

Gourry blinked. "Hey, why are you so concerned Zel?"

Suddenly Lina's eyes grew with suspicion and evil. Zel's eyes widened. Ut-oh.....

"Gee, Zel" Lina grinned evilly. "I didn't know you cared about Amelia that much!"

Zel blinked in horror before shrinking back in his chair, his face moulding into an expression of disgust. How he hated this romance crap....

"Oh come on!" Lina grinned. "It's not a bad thing! It's actually quite a good thing!"

Zel snorted.

The sorceress laid a reassuring hand on the chimera's shoulder. 

"Zeeel. I think it's sweet that you're so concerned for Amelia and..... Why are you blushing like that?"

It was true. Zel was growing quite embarrassed by Lina's teasing and the fact that she was aware of his feelings for the princess. An embarrassment that was beginning to show. Even Gourry was sniggering at Zel's uncomfortable position.

Nevertheless, he must take steps to save face.....

"I'm certain that Amelia's poor health is the work of some evil force."

At the mention of the words 'evil force' Lina's smile vanished from her face. If what Zel was proposing was true then there's something bizarre happening here. Even Gourry raised an eyebrow.

"You think so?" the swordsman inquired.

The chimera nodded. 

"Ever since we had the run in with that Diol fellow, Amelia's health has certainly gone downhill. Worse still, she told me was being haunted by this peculiar dream of a woodsman hacking wood in the middle of a forest."

The sorceress and the swordsman both blinked.

"A dream huh?" Gourry said.

"It must have quite an impact on her." Zel said. "She could recall it quite vividly and seemed quite distressed by it all."

"And you think this is the work of Diol?" Lina said. 

"Rubbish!" she laughed. "I've met Diol before and I seriously doubt that he could pull something like that off!"

Zel said nothing.

"Look Zel", Lina went on "As far as I know, Diol is only concerned with alchemy and the creation of life-forms. If you think that Amelia's health is his work, then I seriously doubt he could work up something like that!"

"Well if Diol didn't harm Amelia" Gourry said. "Then who did?"

A silence ensued. 

"Well" Lina said eventually, "Firstly, Amelia has been recently suffering from coughing fits right? This could be the work of a magic user. I have heard of a such of a spell that makes people cough in such a terrible way. Secondly, if Amelia is freaked out by this dream then this certainly is the work of a spell of the mind-influencing kind."

Zel and Gourry blinked.

"Seems to me" Lina went on, "We are indeed dealing with a great force. A great force of extraordinary power....."

"You do have a point there...." Zel said softly.

Then the chimera related the story of how he tracked Amelia's kidnapper to Diol's tower and how he found a second set of tracks heading for the tower - a set of tracks that couldn't have been made by any human whatsoever.

Lina blinked in astonishment at Zel's story.

"It seems" she said. "We are dealing with an interloper of some kind...."

"So what's happening to Amelia is definitely not the work of Diol?" Gourry asked.

Suddenly the table was struck with the full force of Lina's head crashing down upon it. _Damn it_ , she thought as she had done so many times before,_ how could he be so brain dead that he misses the so blatantly obvious?!?!?_

"You know....." Zel mused.

Lina raised her head. "What? Did you just have an idea?"

"What I'm thinking" Zel explained. "Is that if Diol has an interest in the creation of life-forms then he would know how the human body would operate."

"Meaning?"

"Meaning he could be responsible for Amelia's coughing fits."

Lina's expression then grew thoughtful.

"That could be possible....." She murmured. "When I arrived at his tower, Amelia certainly seemed quite pissed off with him....."

"But then again" she grinned. "I seriously doubt Diol could cook up something like that! He's only interested in creating hideous monstrosities! I don't think he could come up with something that elaborate!"

"Well in that case" Zel said. "I guess that leaves our interloper...."

Another silence ensued.

"What worries me" Zel said eevntually, "Is that things have been going downhill ever since we left Dakeyras."

Lina blinked. That was an interesting theory - And an indeed alarming on considering Dakeyras was threatened by a murderer.....

"Say" Gourry said, with urgency evident in his voice. "Do you reckon that this interloper could be Isabella?"

Lina slapped her forehead in disbelief.

"Gourry, you numbskull, she's DEAD! You killed her yourself!"

Gourry blinked.

"Oh yeah....."

"Furthermore" Zel added. "I think it's quite unlikely she will rise from the dead to bother us even further."

"Well in that case" Gourry said. "If this person who harmed Amelia isn't Diol and it isn't Isabella then who was it?"

* * *

Chapter 6  
Contents  



	8. Chapter 6 Martina's Wedding Anniversary

The Woodsman Part 6 The Woodsman  
Chapter 6  
Martina's Wedding Anniversary 

* * *

Meanwhile, up above the breakfast table, in one of the two bedrooms that had been booked for the foursome, Amelia was sleeping. 

Sleeping a troubled sleep....

A troubled sleep plagued by troubled dreams....

Amelia found herself running through a forest. A forest lit up by the rays of a golden sun, filtered in amongst the trunks of the mighty trees that populated the forest. 

A forest that seemed very familiar

In a disturbing sense that is.

Suddenly Amelia's ears picked up the sound of wood being cut to pieces.

Cut to pieces by someone welding an axe...

Amelia's blood went cold.

Slowly she turned her head....

And there he was. Just as she remembered him: He was situated on a slope that loomed above her, standing before a tree stump, driving his axe into a block of wood. 

What? What was he doing here? 

Amelia recognised this man all right. It was the woodsman that she had encountered in her previous dream. The dream that had shocked her to the core....

Amelia hands began shaking.

_What is this?_ she thought _A recurring dream? _

Suddenly the woodsman stopped his cutting. Slowly he looked up from his work and locked his gaze onto the princess. 

Amelia gazed in horror at the woodsman. His eyes! Such eyes! 

They were a pair of opaque discs that blazed with red fury.   
They were a pair of opaque discs that held a burning glare.   
They were a pair of opaque discs that burned they way onto the princess. 

Burned her right down to the core of her soul.....

Amelia wanted to scream but she couldn't. 

* * *

Amelia's eyes shot open. Instantaneously, she sat up in bed with a yell. 

She paused, her breathing coming in rapid, sharp bursts. 

The dream, It had come to her for a second time.....

It was all but a dream yet it seemed so real. So real enough to freak her completely. 

Now free from the horrors of that rather disturbing dream, Amelia placed her hand onto her forehead. What the hell was going on? Here she was, besieged with the horror of a recurring nightmare and beset with the most unpleasant of all stomach upsets. A stomach upset that was producing the most violent of all coughing fits.

What the hell was happening to her?

Why must she suffer the torment of a recurring nightmare and the most dreadful of coughing?

Was this the effect of that repulsive liquid that Diol forced down her throat? 

These questions buzzed around her head with a squadron of a hundred other questions. 

Amelia shook her head. She wasn't prepared to assess any baffling questions. Or go through the process of finding answers.

Not at this hour at least.

It was too early in the morning to do some thinking. What mattered was one thing: 

BREAKFAST!

The princess got out of bed and donned her familiar, pale white tunic and trousers. They were all the clothes she had and they were stained with travel but they got the job done. 

Once she'd dressed, the princess left her bedroom. Knowing Lina and Gourry they'd probably be already downstairs, feeding their faces like there was no tomorrow.....

And it was there she headed. 

When she had arrived, she found it relatively easy to find Lina and Gourry's table. How could one miss it?! With their eating habits, how could they remained hidden from the princess' gaze?!

Zelgadis was there too. Amelia's face lit up and she walked over to the table. 

The chimera was the first to notice her. He raised his head and donned a surprised expression.

"Amelia!" he called. 

At the mention of the princess' name, both Lina and Gourry halted their feeding frenzy and looked up from their food. 

"Amelia!" Lina grinned. "You're awake!"

The princess nodded before taking her place at the table next to Zelgadis 

"Are you all right?" Gourry asked.

"Yeah, I'm fine!" Amelia answered, cheerily. 

Zelgadis' eyes hardened. Amelia emerging from passing out with a jovial expression such as this?! Something's not right here.....

"Are you sure?" 

"Yeah! I'm fine!" Amelia said, bringing in a reasoning tone for the chimera. 

"So" she continued, in an attempt to change the subject. "What are we going to do today?"

"We are going to Martina's party" Lina answered. 

Zel and Gourry exchanged glances of disgust. Even after all this time they still were incredibly unenthusiastic about seeing Martina and Zangulus again. 

Yet in spite of their disgust, they nodded their consent. After all, experience has taught them that disagreeing with Lina is just plain suicide! Its either her way or no way - usually seen through the business end of a fireball!

"So" Amelia said. "What were you all talking about?"

"We were discussing the reasons behind your poor health." The chimera answered.

"No, please!" Amelia protested. "I'm okay! There's nothing to be worried about, really!"

"We concluded that there is some evil force at work here." Zel said quickly. 

At the mention of the words 'evil force' Amelia fell silent and prepared to listen.

"Amelia" Lina said. "Did anything happen at Diol's laboratory? You seemed to start coughing when we left Diol's tower. And if anything happened between you and Diol, then we must know about it. So, did anything happen?"

The princess blinked before adapting a more serious expression.

"Yes." she said slowly. "Yes! Something did happen. That Diol bastard forced a terrible concoction down my throat!"

Gourry, Lina and Zel all blinked at this revelation. 

"Well that would explain a lot" Zel said, after a shocked silence.

"Oh come on!" Lina argued. "I know Diol! And I still doubt that he could come up with a concoction that could be effecting Amelia in this manner!!!"

"I wouldn't be so confident...." Zel muttered.

"Hey Amelia" Gourry said. "Since you've been here, you haven't coughed once!"

The table fell silent at Gourry's perception. Amelia and Lina both blinked at the swordsman. Gourry may be dense but he certainly had his moments.....!

Zel however glowered. If Amelia's coughing hasn't occurred so far this morning then something must be very wrong here....

Obviously, this is indeed the work of an evil force. And Amelia is indeed being toyed with. Although neither Zel or his friends had no idea on the full extent of the evil that was stalking them, it was clear that said force was at once a force that is laughing at them.

Just wait until he finds the bastard that did this....

* * *

Martina's party took place in the public gardens of Sairaag. When Lina, Gourry, Amelia and Zelgadis arrived, they found the party was in full swing and populated by a sea of enthusiastic party-goers.

"Wow!" Gourry exclaimed. "There's a quite lot of people here!"

"Yeah" Lina agreed. "I didn't think Martina knew this many people!"

Zel growled his disgust and reached for his collar and cowl, ready to conceal his chimera appearance away from inquisitive stares and prying eyes. 

However, this act didn't go unnoticed in Amelia's eyes.

"Zel?" she asked. "Are you so concerned about what people might think of you?"

Zel nodded.

"Lighten up!" Lina grinned. "It's a party after all!"

"Parties aren't my kind of thing" Zel snorted.

Amelia and Lina exchanged mischievous looks. They both nodded at each other and scooped up Zel by linking their arms together - Thus sandwiching the bewildered chimera and preventing any chance of escape. 

"What?" Zelgadis cried in astonishment. "What the Hell are you doing?!?"

"We are going to show you how to party!" Amelia grinned.

"Whether you like it or not!" Lina added.

And with that, they both took off towards the action, with the hapless Zel trapped in between them.

Gourry sniggered at Zel's predicament. Then he set out on following them.....

But a voice held him back. 

A voice that called his name. A voice that was soft yet it rang out like a bell. A voice that he recognised. A voice from his past....

"Gourry!"

* * *

Life can be most cruel. You could have your home city completely wiped off the map, you could have both your parents taken away from you in a cruel and unjust manner, and you could even have your one true hope of happiness taken away from you - even if this happiness was a self-constructed delusion.

Yes, life can be most cruel.

Especially if your name is Sylphiel Nels Rahda.

Fate was indeed not on the shrine maiden's side. Following the evil deeds of Hellmaster Fibrizo, it seemed an act of destiny that she and Gourry Gabriev drifted apart. He didn't share the same intentions of giving up the adventuring life and settle down with a loving wife. No, instead he wanted to continue his exciting lifestyle and he wanted to do it with Lina.   
Yeah, Lina Inverse. A rival for Gourry's affection who shared his adventurous spirit and his thirst for lots of food and a good time. Compared to Lina, Syl had no chance of succeeding for Gourry's attentions. It certainly was no even contest. And thus Gourry slipped from Syl's grasp. He disappeared while she remained here in Sairaag. The last she had heard of him, he had departed off to the fabled new world....

Yet in the time of his absence, Syl had found the time to think things through. Yes, she had a hero-worship for the swordsman. Yes, her devotion towards him was unmatched. Yes, she had a good mind in what he wanted. Yes, she didn't share the same adventurous spirit that he held. Yes, she had tough competition in the form of Lina. Yes, she was fighting a losing battle for Gourry's affections. 

However, Sylphiel could not hide from the conclusion that she was on a road that was taking her nowhere fast. Destiny demanded that Gourry remain out of her grasp. She was to remain in the shadows as Lina and Gourry enjoyed each other's company. 

But if Gourry was happy with the sorceress, then Syl should be happy for them. Even if it meant her true feelings were concealed by a mask. She had made the ultimate sacrifice in abandoning her emotions for Lina and Gourry's sake.

It certainly wasn't the best option on her part.

But it was the only option.

And so Sylphiel stayed in Sairaag, but the weight of an empty destiny wouldn't leave. 

Now she found herself, by invitation, mingling in amongst the crowds that were invited here, to celebrate Martina's wedding anniversary.   
Yeah, a wedding anniversary. A wedding anniversary put upon to mark the occasion of marriage. Yet the whole rewarding experience of marriage is something Syl will probably never achieve. With Gourry gone to points unknown, there seems little chance for the kindly, good-natured Sylphiel to ever find true happiness in romance. 

What made the situation more bitter was that Martina - spoilt, selfish and troublemaking Martina - can succeed where she had failed. 

Life can be most cruel....

But wait! What's this?! Who's that coming through the entrance of the public gardens? There! Syl couldn't believe her eyes. It was her old friends! She hadn't seen them in so long! Where had they been? What stories could they tell of their adventures? She must make herself known to them all: Lina Inverse, Zelgadis Greywars, Amelia Wil Tesla Saillune.....

....and Gourry.

Yes, he was there too. He was still alive and, from the looks of it, still quite attached to Lina. He had come back to Syl when she had abandoned her goal of being with him. 

The irony is just sickening.....

Life can be most cruel.....

Yet in spite of her feelings she called out his name.

Gourry blinked, before grinning an enormous grin.

"Syl!" he said. "Long time no see!"

Sylphiel nodded. It had certainly been a while...

Suddenly a small voice emerged from the depths from Sylphiel's brain:

_Well, there he is. He's come back. Now how do you feel? Do you still feel the love for him that you once had?_

Yes, there was a degree of truth there. She had certainly suppressed her feelings but only to her dispair. 

Nevertheless she ignored this voice and repressed those concealed emotions long enough to give Gourry a small smile. 

But it was a fake smile.

_You're only fooling yourself you know _the voice said.

Fortunately the swordsman was too dense to notice the element of farce the smile offered.

"Man, it's been a while. I can't believe you're here!"

"Me neither, Gourry." Sylphiel replied.

_You wouldn't think he would come back didn't you? _

"I take it you're here for Martina's party too?" the swordsman inquired.

Sylphiel closed her eyes and nodded again. 

It was there and then that the swordsman noticed something was amiss.

"Hey Syl, is something wrong?"

"No Gourry, why do you ask?"

"Its just that you aren't calling me Gourry Dear like you used too."

Sylphiel smiled another farce of a smile.

"Oh, I've given up on that. Seems a quite silly thing, if you ask me."

_LIES! LIES! LIES! LIES! LIES!_

"I see." Gourry replied.

A silence ensued. 

"Say," Gourry said, smiling a warm smile, "Do you want to come join us? I bet Lina would want to see you again."

_Why would you want to see that bitch again? She took Gourry away from you!_

"Sure, I'd love to" Syl answered. 

* * *

Meanwhile Zel, Lina and Amelia were picking their way through the crowd.

"Damn, there are a lot of people here." Zel grumbled.

"Yeah...." Lina said. "How can Martina have this many friends?!!?"

"DADDY!" Amelia yelled in delight.

Lina stopped dead in her tracks. Daddy?!?!

Suddenly, before Lina had a chance to escape, she, along with the chimera and the princess, was swept up in one of Crown Prince Philionel's crushing bear hugs.

"Amelia! Lina! Zelgadis!" the Crown Prince bellowed. "How are you all?"

But if Phil was expecting an answer he didn't receive any, as the three friends, all trapped in his bear hug, couldn't breath let alone speak!

"Ah, tis' good to see you all again!" Phil went on "I've missed you all!"

"Yes... It's.... good.... to..... see.... you too Phil...." Zel managed to choke.

".....Now would you be so kind as to letting me go so I can get my breath back?!?!" A gagging Lina finished.

Phil chuckled and loosened his grip on the trio. Lina and Zel fell to the ground, coughing and spluttering. Amelia, who was more used to The Crown Prince's bone-crushing bear hugs, landed on her feet and blinked at her friends. 

"Zelgadis? Lina? Are you all right?"

Zel struggled to his feet spluttering and coughing. Yet in spite of it all, he still managed a nod. Lina, however, wasn't looking too thrilled at seeing Phil again.

"So, Phil" Lina asked. "Just how did you manage to survive that tsunami, last time we met?" 

"Ah!" Phil grinned. "Yes, I did get swept away but I managed to escape in one piece!"

"Oh Daddy! I'm so glad!" Amelia grinned in awe. Seeing her father alive certainly made her at once both relieved and overjoyed. 

"Yes, one must not underestimate the power of Justice!!!" Phil grinned.

Lina slapped her hand onto her forehead. Here we go again....

But, unfortunately for Lina, the situation was about to get worse. Much worse. 

For who should approach but Martina Xoana Mel Navratilova. Dressed in a white, but ultimately revealing, gown and looking like the product of well known dressmaker (provided the dressmaker in question was being interrogated by a torturer in a dungeon somewhere), she swept through the crowd in a typical arrogant fashion. Martina made her way through the many people, paying little attention to those stepping out of way. 

No, the months apart from Lina certainly had little change upon Martina. She had settled down to a married life all right. In fact she seemed to enjoy it: So much so that, from the look of it, she didn't seem to be missing her adventurous life at all.  
Yet a return to the life on the road was the last thing on Martina's mind. Right now, she was more concerned with rebuilding her shattered kingdom and finding disciples to Zoamalgustar. 

No, the months apart from Lina certainly certainly didn't change Martina at all.

"Lina! Lina Inverse! It's been so long."

The sorceress froze up at the sound of the voice. Yes, she could indeed place that voice a mile away. There was no escaping that voice -or the owner of the voice for that matter.   
Well, Martina now knew that Lina was here. Great. Just great. Now, Lina has no chance of escaping the dovetee of Zoamalgustar. Any hope of finding the buffet and eluding Martina, were now dashed completely.   
Oh, how fickle fate can be...

Lina slowly turned her head, dreading the sight of seeing Martina again. 

And there she was, obviously enjoying being the main attraction of this gathering, with her husband Zangulus suited up and in tow. Martina didn't look much different since the last time she and Lina crossed paths. In fact she looked even more of an arrogant, spoilt tart! Zangulus hadn't changed much either. In fact, he seemed quite happy. And that suit certainly suited him!   
Provided one overlooked the fact that the suit did NOT go with Zangulus' distinctive hat!

"Hello Martina" Lina said. "Hello Zangulus"

Zangulus gave a silent nod. Not so Martina: She got talking....

"Ah Lina! How good to see you again! I'm, so glad you could come to MY wedding anniversary! It means so much to ME! And how are you Amelia? You've certainly grown since the last time we've met! And you, Zelgadis! Still hunting for your cure I see....!"

And on she went. Zel and Lina shared expressions of grimace.

"You know Zel" Lina said. "I think I'm going to agree with you here. It was a mistake to come here....."

"So where's Gourry?" Martina asked suddenly. "I can't see him around here!"

"There he is!" Amelia answered. 

And there he was. Gourry strolled over to the little group, with Sylphiel following behind. 

When Syl saw Lina, her eyes lit up and she ran up to her. 

"Syl!" Lina grinned. "How are you?"

_She's the evil bitch! Take her down! Take her out! Take back Gourry!_

"Just fine Lina.' Syl smiled sweetly. "Thank you for asking."

"Man, It's good to see you again! I can't believe you're here!"

"Me neither" Syl said. 

Suddenly, Zangulus caught sight of the swordsman. Immediately his eyes shone and he charged up to Gourry, with enthusiastic fervour. 

"Gourry!" Zangulus cried. "I'm so glad to see you!"

"Oh hi Zangulus!" Gourry grinned. "I haven't seen you in a while."

"Me neither" Zangulus said, quickly. "Now lets get straight down to business! We must finish this duel we started!"

Suddenly, everyone's face, with the exception of Zangulus', fell into disbelief. 

"Zangulus!" Amelia reasoned. "This isn't the time or place for doing something like that!"

"So what?" the swordsman yelled. "We have unfinished business that must be resolved!!!"

Lina groaned and buried her face in her hands. 

Where was the buffet when you needed it?!?!

* * *

However, events were going to take a severe turn for the worst.

Many miles away, three pairs of eyes were gazing into the crystal ball. Three pairs of eyes that were blazing with malevolent fervour. Three pairs of eyes that were at once both intrigued and repulsed. 

"Fascinating" the tall figure said. "It seems our little puppet has many allies."

"Call them allies?!?" the teenager snapped. "They can't hold themselves together! They seem more adept to fighting amongst themselves!!!"

"I agree" the woman said. "These newcomers don't look like much of a threat."

"You see that one?" she continued, pointing to the image of Sylphiel. "She seems too soft to be much of a problem for our plans. And the one with the green hair is more of a tart then a capable warrior! And what fear do we have of a Champion of Justice?!"

"Allies or not they still make our acquisition in a position of protection. This makes things difficult" the tall man reasoned. "It seems our plans aren't turning out as well as we had hoped."

"You can say that again!" the teenager retorted. "If your skeletons hadn't failed in their task, then we wouldn't be in this fix!"

"And I suppose you can do better!?!?" the tall man said, his rasp now acquiring an element of anger.

"Of course I can!" the teenager cowered. "I can get our puppet away from these other people. In fact I'd show you how it ought to be done!" 

And with that, the teenager turned to face the crystal ball and waved his hands in the air. 

_Bastard._ The tall man thought. _He thinks he can barge in like that? He thinks he can go around, telling me my job?! He thinks an upstart like him can order me - a warlock who has crossed the threshold of mortality?!?!!?_

But I'll show him one day, I'll show him all right....

The teenager cackled, as he peered into the crystal ball, his hands prepared to release a spell most horrendous. 

"Well, well puppet. Are you ready to do whatever I tell you to....?"

* * *

Many miles away from the congregation of evil, another congregation was forming. The guests of Martina's party were now gathering before a podium. Each of the partygoers marched into a huge mass of chairs and found a seat. It was in this crowd that Lina, Gourry, Philionel, Amelia, Zelgadis and Sylphiel got swept up in. 

"What's going on?" Gourry asked.

"I think Martina's about to give a speech." Sylphiel answered.

Lina snorted. Yes, that certainly sounds like Martina, all right.

"Do we have to listen to this?" Zel groaned. He too shared Lina's lack of enthusiasm. 

"Oh come on Zel! What's wrong with that?" Amelia inquired.

Zel snorted.

Amelia smiled a sly grin, before turning to her father. 

"You know something, Daddy? If didn't know better I would believe that Zel's surly attitude is violation of the Code of Justice!!"

Suddenly Zelgadis stopped dead in his tracks. A violation of the Code of Justice??! 

That....that can only mean one thing...

Immediately, the chimera could feel the cold stares of both the father and daughter of the House of Saillune. Instantaneously, Zel's lips formed into a small but embarrassed grin - Much against his free will.

But fortunately for the chimera, Philionel burst into a huge booming laugh. 

"Ah! He's smiling now!" the Crown Prince chuckled, as he gave Zel a huge pat on the back. "That's what you should be doing!!!"

Zel turned to Amelia with a furious look. Amelia just smiled, in spite of Zel's annoyance.

"Amelia!!!" Zel snarled. 

"Oh come on Zel!" Amelia interjected. "I was only kidding..."

Zel blinked before burying his face in his hands. Amelia giggled.

One must not underestimate the power of Justice...

By this stage, Martina and Zangulus had amounted the podium. Immediately, Martina marched to the front of the stage to speak to the crowd gathered. It was so natural of her to speak first....

Then, speaking in a voice that was loud and very clear, she gave her speech....

"I wish to thank you all for coming here to day to MY wedding anniversary!" she said. "And I hope you're all having a good time at MY wedding anniversary. And thank you for the gifts you've brought here to MY wedding anniversary! And I hope, in time, to speak to you all at MY wedding anniversary! What's more..."

And on it went - Much to the frustration of Lina. 

"Jeez" she groaned. "How long is this going to go on for?!?" 

Listening to Martina go on and on with crap like this is worse then torture!!

"I wish something interesting would happen...."

Yet as Lina made her wish, little did she know but it was merely seconds away from coming true...

Lazily, the sorceress' eyes ignored Martina and made their way over in amongst her friends: Gourry, Sylphiel, Philionel, Zelgadis and Amelia.....

Then it happened.

Amelia's eyes lit up with a strange green light. An eerie green light that exploded into pools of light into Amelia's eyes. An eerie green light that made the princess' eeys go all opaque. An eerie grrenn that could have only come from an unnatural source. An eerie green light that could only mean one thing...

Lina blinked in astonishment. She recognised the signs all right. She could recognise them anywhere...

"Magic!" she growled. 

Lina wasn't the only one to notice this oddity. Zel, who happened to be sitting next to Amelia, also raised an eyebrow. When he noticed both Amelia's eyes lost in a two pools of green light, his eyes widened in horror.  
It didn't take him long to come to the same conclusion that Lina had reached.

What made things worse was that this was a type of magic he recognised.

Possession!

"Amelia!" he shouted. 

The chimera's shout was enough to make a portion of the crowd turn away from Martina. When these onlookers noticed Amelia, they all blinked at the princess in fear. A few people, grew so concerned over the princess that they got out of their seats and backed away.

Suddenly, without warning, the possessed princess leapt out with arms outstretched. She leapt into the air and charged right into the row in front of her. This move created a colossal uproar: The chairs were all cast aside and into disarray - Whether or not there were people actually in the chairs, didn't matter. The chairs, along with their occupants all crashed into the rows in front of them. This disaster created a huge empty space around the psychotic princess and drew all attention away from Martina.   
Yet the sight of the possessed Amelia was enough to make a large majority of the crowd to back away . The expression on her face was one of a mad dog. With a quite unsettling expression, and a look of possession, Amelia certainly was a terrifying sight.

And indeed a cause for alarm.

Instantly, the party collapsed into chaos: All thoughts of Martina's speech were now forgotten. All turned towards Amelia and moved away in pace that at once both hurried and panicked. In the panic of the situation, everyone moved as quickly and as far as possible from the possessed princess. In the mayhem that followed, Lina found herself and her friends swept up in the crowd. 

"What's going on?" Gourry demanded.

"Amelia's possessed!!" Zel announced.

"Well in that case, we've got to stop her!" Phil boomed. "If she's possessed, there's no telling what damage she'll do!"

"Well, we better do something quick!" Lina cried. "She's off and running!!!"

That was true. Amelia, now having some space to move, charged. Charged like a wild animal. Charged with the fury of a rapid, rampaging wild pig. Charged across the open ground. Charged towards the fleeing masses. Charged towards the nearest person with homicidal fervour. 

Charged towards Sylphiel!

The shrine maiden was bewildered, and confused, by the whole proceedings. She blinked at the fleeing masses and then at the wild Amelia. What on earth?! What was going on here?! Why was Amelia acting like that?!?!?

"Amelia?" the shrine maiden cried. "Are you all right?!?!"

Suddenly Syl caught sight of Gourry, Lina, Zel and Phil running after Amelia. They were shouting and waving their hands.

"SYL!" Lina screamed. "AMELIA'S GONE CRAZY!!!!!!" 

Sylphiel stared at her friends in complete confusion. Crazy?

"RUN!!!" Gourry bellowed. 

Syl blinked in astonishment. She had absolutely no idea what was going on and she was absolutely confused by the situation. But soon her legs took control. Acting on the chaos of the situation, Syl's legs began fleeing in panic. It didn't matter what was wrong with Amelia. It didn't matter what she didn't know. It didn't matter how drastic the situation was. What mattered was joining the crowd in their flight.

Fortunately for the crowd, they had made enough space to elude Amelia and her homicidal intentions.  
Unfortunately for the shrine maiden, she wasn't so lucky.

The rabid Amelia leapt onto Sylphiel's back, knocking her off her feet and sending her face first on to the ground. 

Sylphiel couldn't move. She was pinned down fast. She couldn't run or cast any spells whatsoever. All she could do was look up at the psychotic Amelia and look up in horror at her raised fist, mere seconds away from striking....

* * *

Chapter 7  
Contents  



	9. Chapter 7 Breaking of Possession

The Woodsman Part 7 The Woodsman  
Chapter 7  
Breaking of Possession 

* * *

Syl blinked in horror at the psychotic Amelia and then at the princess' fist that loomed above the helpless Shrine Maiden. There was no escape. 

Desperately Syl's frightened eyes darted around at the crowd. Most of them were several feet away. Judging by their frightened expressions, the members of the crowd were too terrified to deal with a possessed princess of psychotic intentions! Thus, everyone kept their distance - Nobody was brave enough to step forward and come to Sylphiel's resuce.

Since there was no hope of rescue from the masses, Syl turned desperately towards her friends - As she has aways done. The shrine maiden's gaze had no trouble locating the direction where Lina and Gourry were coming from. Yet even as they raced to save the shrine maiden they were still too far away to stop the possessed Amelia. 

There was little the terrified Syl could do to escape the wrath of the rapid princess.

The end was nigh.....

And she was all on her own.....

Then something extraordinary happened.

Whether it was the urgency of leaving this existence or the panic in this situation of chaos or the frustration of helplessness, no-one will ever know. But something lit up inside Sylphiel. The flames of strength ignited within the Shrine Maiden, urging to take action and stop the rapid Amelia. 

With a strength inspired from fear, Syl pulled her left hand free from her prostrate position. Then, leaning up on her right elbow, she reached up her hand right into contact with Amelia's fist!

The fist never reached it's targeted destination. Instead, it's flight path was intercepted by the palm of Syl's hand. The fist rammed into the palm with a terrific thump. 

Even though her mind was currentely lost to some heinous evil and her eyes still blazed with possession, Amelia was indeed surprised by this move. Perhaps this shrine maiden wasn't as weak as first believed. Instead, she was certainly proving to be quite a formidable enemy.   
But it didn't take long for the princess' eyes to ignite again to burn with increased fury. 

But Sylphiel didn't see this. She had her eyes closed real tight. But even with her eyes closed she could still feel Amelia's fist still carrying on it's relentless journey. It ploughed it's way into her palm. It challenged all that dared to stand in it's way.   
The shrine maiden could feel the pain burn into her palm and an urge to scream in agony.

But she fought this urge. She could still feel the pain....

Yet she could also feel the power of her newly-discovered strength. 

Even as Amelia's fist burned it's way into her palm, Syl fought back. She brought forth a defence against the juggernaut of a fist. Syl's palm pushed away the fist. Syl's palm defied the fist. Syl's palm denied the fist.   
But Amelia, possessed as she was, wasn't ready to give up. The fist still tried to plunge forward, against this barricade of a palm.   
But as the fist pushed on forward, it got pushed back by the palm. Back and forth the battle raged, with either side gaining an advantage.   
Nevertheless Syl grit her teeth and fought on.

But, as she gritted her teeth and took the brunt of Amelia's fist into her hand, her mind was swept up into a whirlwind of confusion. Why would Amelia launch into such a psychotic rage? Why would Amelia want to attack her so much? They were friends right? What one earth was going on here?   
And what was she doing? Erecting a defence against an enemy wasn't something she did everyday. She hadn't done a thing like this before. Doing a thing like this was best suited to either a warrior like Gourry or Zelgadis.

Why was she doing this? Was this an act utilised in such a way to keep her from death's door? Was this a method of protection? If so, then it certainly was a crude and unreliable way of defence. Or was she acting out of the desperation of the situation? 

This so wasn't like her....

Suddenly, Syl could feel the strength of the punch slowly die away. What the....?

Seeking answers, an astonished Syl opened her eyes. 

What greeted her field of vision was an indeed perplexing sight. Amelia still kept her pinned to the ground and still had her fist rammed into the shrine maiden's palm. But something had changed: The princess' eyes were now different then before. Her eyes had once blazed with possessed fervour, but now this blazing fervour had now died away. All homicidal fervour that burned within Amelia's gaze had now evaporated and returned the princess' eyes to their normal state.

Amelia had well and truly broken out of her trance. But it was only now that she found herself startled and in the middle of quite an unsettling situation. The princess blinked. What? What on earth was this?

Amelia's expression grew rapidly into a mixture of confusion and horror. What was going on here? What was she doing pinning Syl to the ground and having her fist held up like this....?

Hang on....

A FIST?!?!?

Blinking in confused horror, Amelia averted her gaze from Syl and looked up at the surrounding crowd.

Their facial expressions explained it all. They were all, from several feet away, gazing at the princess in horror. But now, the onlookers' faces were now not only horrified but also quite perplexed. They could tell that Amelia's struggling had ceased but were now uncertain on how to react.

Even Lina was confused - so much so she stopped running and came to a skidding halt. Gourry, Zel and Phil, who were right behind the sorceress, also followed suit.

"What's going on Lina?" the swordsman inquired. 

"That's exactly what I would like to know!" Lina murmured.

Phil didn't say anything. Instead, his expression was grim. No doubt he was pondering on how this incident was going to look on the Saillune trade relations record....

"Look!" Zel yelled.

Amelia slowly got to her feet, releasing her grip on the startled Syl. Upon the princess' face was a mixture of confusion, horror and embarrassment. She had no recollection of being possessed. Thus she had no idea what was going on, she couldn't recall what had just happened and she had no clue as to what to say to the aghast crowd.....

The princess looked around her. Even with no recollection of the action she committed whilst being possessed, it wasn't difficult to deduce what just transpired at this social gathering.

And, judging by the mayhem that was a quite dignified affair, exactly what happened couldn't have been too good!   
The entire party was trashed beyond belief. The whole thing had collapsed in an uproar. Martina's wedding anniversary had now disintegrated into chaos and confusion. And now here she was, surrounded by a startled crowd, atop an equally astonished Syl.

Syl! Amelia's facial expression grew with alarm. She had just tried to kill Sylphiel! She had just tried to kill a friend! And, in the process, she had trashed Martina's party beyond belief! What the hell was going on here? Why doesn't she have any memories of what just happened? And why is she acting out of her own free will....?

Daddy isn't going to like this...

But....But....But it wasn't her fault! She can't be lynched for something she had no control over! Surely they could see it....?

Distraught, Amelia's eyes began to well up with tears. It wasn't her fault....!

It never was...

It never was...

Suddenly, riding on the wings of guilt and fear, the princess darted into the crowd. She didn't want to be here. She needed to be out of sight. She wanted to hide away from accusing glares. She wanted to hide from eyes that saw her tears. She wanted to escape this awkward situation.  
An awkward situation where not even her skills as a Champion of Justice could save her.....

Fortunately, Amelia's flight path didn't suffer from too much in the way of interference: The onlookers, all of whom had just developed a fear of the princess, wisely got out of her way. The onlookers had no idea what was going on. The onlookers didn't have a clue as to how to react to the princess. The onlookers didn't even know whether or now she was still possessed.   
What mattered was getting out of her way - In case she struck again.  
Amelia fled into the dispersing crowd unchallenged. She ran through the crowds and then out of the public gardens completely.

"AMELIA!" Lina screamed.

"I'm going after her!" Zel announced. 

And with that he sped off after the fleeing princess.

Lina and Gourry exchanged looks. 

"Here we go again." Lina murmured.

Gourry just shrugged. He didn't seem too bothered. To him pursuing Amelia certainly seemed like a much more interesting and exciting undertaking then staying at Martina's party!

"Right behind ya, Zel!" Lina called. And with that, she and the swordsman set off after the chimera. 

And they would've got very far.

Had it not been for two arms holding them back!

Lina and Gourry both run on the spot, bewildered to the fact that they weren't really progressing anywhere.

"Hey Lina?" Gourry asked. "Are we actually getting somewhere?"

"No" the red-head replied. "It's as if someone is holding us back...."

"Darn right there is!!" came a furious voice from behind.

Both Lina and Gourry exchanged glances before looking over their shoulders.....

....only to be greeted with the sight of a very furious Martina. 

Lina blinked.

"Martina?"

"Is something wrong...?" Gourry said.

"YOU'RE DARN RIGHT SOMETHING'S WRONG!!!!!" Martina roared. "Your friend Amelia has trashed my party! Its now all ruined!"

The two adventurers were quite perplexed by the fury of the princess. They had seen her mad before but never like THIS! Martina's expression was enough to make one's blood turn to water! Someone had ruined HER day and, being the spoilt princess she is, Martina needs scapegoats. And since Amelia isn't here any more, Lina and Gourry will fit the bill nicely!  
Yet in spite of Martina's wrath, the sorceress and the swordsman still managed to put on a brave face.

"It wasn't our fault!" Gourry blurted out.

"Yeah!" Lina agreed. "Amelia was possessed!"

Marina blinked at the two, as if uncertain on what to make of their story. Is there any truth in that? Yes they had all travelled together, Yes they had all seen some extraordinary sights and yes weirder things have certainly happened....

But what mattered is that Lina Inverse trashed HER party!! As a consequence, Martina had every right to be furious!! This blasted sorceress has destroyed everything that meant something to Martina! First Lina destroys Martina's kingdom, then she eludes any plot for revenge! And now she goes and trashes, her wedding anniversary! Martina's one chance of getting to shine is pulverised by the sorceress! Damn it sucks being second best!  
All of a sudden she let loose on a whole bunch of epithets on how they had no right to trash HER party and how she wouldn't believe a preposterous story such as that and how this disaster would look on the cleaning bill as well as how catastrophic this mess would look on Saillune trade relations. 

Gourry looked at Lina. 

"You know Lina, I don't think she believes us."

Lina groaned.

And if facing Martina's wrath was bad enough, Zangulus approached the trio. he too was looking quite incensed. The former bounty hunter went up to Martina and laid a comforting hand on Martina's shoulder.

"There, there Honey" he said.

If music soothes the raging beast then hearing Zangulus' voice was music enough to Martina's ears! It only took mere seconds for her raging fury to calm down completely. What was once a strom had now died down to nothing.  
Then Martina's face softened and she turned to face her husband - With an adoption of the "puppy dog eyes" routine.

"They destroyed my party, Darling!" Martina procliamed in a whining voice. 

Martina was well and truly putting up an act to draw sympathy from Zangulus.   
But he didn't seem to notice. Instead he comforted his wife and caressed her cheek in a reassuring manner.  
Sympathy act or not it certainly worked!

Lina and Gourry blinked. For an instant, they were ignored. Yet they stood transfixed with astonishment at Martina and Zangulus. Gourry looked astonished. Lina however looked disgusted. 

"They...They...They've ignored us completely!" Gourry said.

"Great!" Lina grinned. "This gives us the chance to run!"

And just like that, the two adventurers ran! They dashed! They fled! They ran out of desolation that was Martina's party at top speed! They charged out of the public gardens like a fugitive on the run! The two friends ran like a mazoku was on their tail!

Well, there was no Mazoku.   
Only Zangulus!   
After seeing Gourry and Lina run off like that, he was suddenly struck by some thing's called honour, duty and instinct. Without a second thought for anything else, the swordsman pushed Martina aside and took up pursuit of the two adventurers.

"Gourry!" he yelled. 'Get back here! We've gotta finish that duel! I'm not letting you leave without settling this little issue.......!" 

Meanwhile, Martina, now cast face down in the mud, cursed the day she learned of the name of Lina Inverse.

"Damn you Lina...." 

Why do bad things ALWAYS seem happen to her whenever Lina is around?!

* * *

Elsewhere, Zel made his way through the streets of Sairaag, his mind buzzing with a thousand questions. The streets were surprisingly empty for a city, but this only added to the benefits of the chimera: He now doesn't have to be bothered by anyone criticising his appearance and it gives him the time and space to think.

What had made Amelia go berserk like that? What type of force would make her go and attack Sylphiel? From the outset of it, all the clues pointed to the conclusion of possession. But who, or what, would want to utilise a princess of Saillune (and Champion of Justice) for their own ends? And why?   
The chimera has faced many evil and their motivations, as well as their methods, seemed quite varied. But why would someone want to use Amelia for their own ends? 

As Crown Prince of Saillune, Phil had to keep a wary eye on his throne and, as a champion of the people, keep his kingdom from danger. He had cultivated a lot of enemies in his time and all of whom, at some stage, faced the wrath of the power of Justice.   
Yet if someone had the audacity to involve Amelia, Phil's daughter, in some nefarious plot then this could be the work of a former foe who is now seeking revenge....  
Or it could be someone whose interested in destroying the Saillune name by gaining control over the princess. Then the destruction could be wrought from the inside - and the chaos that would follow would provide the perfect opportunity for someone to assume control. 

Zel pondered on these ideas but then shrugged. They were good theories but he had encountered such minded lunatics before. They were good theories but they weren't anything new. 

Then the chimera was struck by another thought: Now that he thought about it, this whole caper started ever since Amelia was abducted by the lunatic Diol. And she'd been suffering from disturbing dreams and coughing fits most violent ever since. Are these symptoms part of the possession spell? 

Did Diol make her a target for possession?

No. Impossible. According to Lina, Diol wouldn't be smart enough to come up with a super-intelligent spell like possession or dream altering. 

Perhaps he's working for some higher power?   
Perhaps this was the product of that interloper that Lina suggested?

Perhaps.

But one thing's for certain, once Zel gets his hands on the bastard that did this, he is going to break every bone in his wretched body....

Suddenly Zel heard a noise. A noise that was enough to break him out of his reverie. 

Zel stiffened. That noise....

It sounded like someone moaning. 

A moan that sounded so familiar.....

Zel's eyes darted around, the empty streets, looking for the source of the noise. 

Eventually his gaze settled on an alley, in-between two of the buildings. And it was this alleyway that Zel sped towards. 

Once he had reached the mouth of the alleyway, Zel then picked his way through the dirt and the garbage that littered the alleyway.

"Amelia?" the chimera called.

He was then answered by a soft moan from the depths of the alley. Zelgadis' demon sight peered into the darkened alley and soon picked out a quivering form. 

It was Amelia.

She was crouched down within the shadows with her head buried in her hands, her knees pulled in tight and softly sobbing.

Zel slowly made his way towards the princess and knelt down in front of her.

"Amelia?" he asked.

The princess didn't answer. Instead she continued sobbing.

When he didn't get an answer, Zel reached out his hand. After navigating through her hair, Zelgadis' hand gently settled down on the side of Amelia's face.

At the chimera's touch Amelia slowly raised her head. Zel blinked as her face came into view. Her cheeks were stricken with tears, her lips were shaking and her eyes well welled up with water as well being incredibly bloodshot. 

Then, with a whimper, Amelia toppled forward into the startled chimera, weeping waterfalls of tears, like there was no tomorrow.

Gently, Zel wrapped his arms around the distraught princess and cradled her quivering form. He didn't like to see her so upset and he wanted to do whatever he could to rescue her from her depression.

"Shh, Amelia shh...." He whispered.

"It wasn't my fault!" she wept. "I'm so sorry!"

"shh...."

Then Amelia went silent. Gently, she laid her head against Zelgadis' chest and took in his warmth. Even though she was distraught by the chaos she caused at Martina's party, was currently bawling her eyes out and still haunted by her dreams of the woodsman, she still found comfort in the chimera. And that was all that mattered....

Suddenly Zel looked up. 

"Can you hear that?" he asked.

"Hear what?" Amelia replied.

They waited in silence....

Before picking up sounds of two voices calling out their names. 

"Amelia!" yelled a distinct feminine voice. "Where are you?"

"Zel!" shouted a familiar masculine voice. 

The chimera and the princess exchanged glances. Not a word was said but they knew who the voices belonged to.   
Lina. And Gourry.   
And from the look of it, they were both looking for the two runaways. 

Then, much to Amelia's disappointment, Zel broke out of the embrace and got to his feet. Following that he held out his hand to the tear-stricken princess. 

Amelia blinked at the hand. Then, smiling the sweetest smile through her tears, she reached out and took the chimera's hand. Zel then hoisted Amelia to her feet. 

Then, he wrapped his arm around her shoulders and helped her out of the alleyway - Much to the princess' surprise.

"Zelgadis?"

"Lean on me" he softly replied. 

Amelia blinked before complying with Zel's request. A small smile crossed her lips. My, this wasn't like Zel to be this noble but what mattered was that he was doing something for her. He was helping her when she was in a time of great crisis. He wasn't too good with this romance stuff but whatever he did, he did it well. 

Zel helped Amelia out of the alleyway and into the street. Suddenly, both Lina and Gourry came running over.

"Amelia! Zel!" Gourry grinned.

Lina leaned up towards the princess. 

"Amelia?" the sorceress asked. "Are you all right?"

Amelia looked up, her facial expression still as distraught as before. 

"It wasn't my fault!" she cried. 

"I know!" Lina interjected. "We saw it all! You were possessed! Some evil force compelled you to attack Sylphiel!"

Amelia blinked. Then she nodded. She felt a little better knowing that what she did wasn't her fault. Then she raised an eyebrow.

"Possession?"

Lina nodded sadly. 

"By who?" the princess demanded. 

"That's exactly who the rest of us would like to know." Lina answered.

"So, how did Martina react to her anniversary party being trashed?" Zel asked.

At Zelgadis' question Lina groaned and Gourry grimaced.

"Look Zel" Lina said. "You don't even WANT to know how annoyed Martina was!"

"Yeah" Gourry added. "She even talked about putting a bounty on our heads!"

The other three stared at the swordsman - much to his astonishment.

"W-What did I say?" he said. 

Lina groaned. 

"Well this is just great. Here we are, facing a bounty put up by one of our friends, threatened by an evil force who decides to possess one of us and without a proper meal! What do we do now?"

"What we've always done I guess" Zel said softly. 

The other three looked at him. It didn't take them long to realise what the chimera was implying. Yes. They will do what they've always done in times of crisis! Its worked before and it hasn't let them down! And it seems the most logical thing to do.....

RUN!!!!!!

* * *

Chapter 7.5  
Contents  



	10. Chapter 75 Philionel's Dilemma

The Woodsman part 7.5 The Woodsman  
Chapter 7.5  
Philionel's Dilemma 

* * *

Crown Prince Philionel was not a happy man.

He strode through the remains of Martina's wedding anniversary party, his brow furrowing with pondering.   
Recent events had brought things onto a downhill course. First his beloved daughter Amelia, whom he hadn't seen in a while and most pleased to meet again, comes under the power of some possession spell. Then Amelia, under the power of said spell, brings the entire party to a standstill and then into disarray. And what made matters worse was that Martina was (understandably) quite irate by Amelia's destruction that she berated everyone in sight and even went so far to place a bounty on the head's of Amelia and her friends!

No, Crown Prince Philionel was not a happy man.

Even now, Martina, still quite frustrated at her anniversary being ruined, was screaming epithets left right and centre. She was venting her annoyance at anyone, or anything, that moved. Phil sighed. He knew she was, for the moment, speaking without thinking. She was so blinded by her frustration that she said anything that came to mind. 

But Phil wasn't too worried about that. He was more so concerned on how this little fiasco would effect the trade relations on the Saillune name. As a Crown Prince, Phil understood well his position as a figurehead to the people and how much the concept of image relied a lot on this position. And image was dependent upon the concepts of dignity, socialism, friendliness and patience.

But not upon attacking Shrine Maidens.

Phil sighed again. It won't be long before this story of "The Psychotic Princess of Saillune" enters the mouths of gossipers and spreads along the country like wildfire. And with these words, the public relations of Saillune would soon crumble. It was no use explaining that she was possessed- Who would believe that? And since when have gossipers ever listened to truth?

And what was worse was that princess was now fugitive. A fugitive with a bounty. Although Martina's proposition was her acting without thinking, the bounty was real. And soon, Amelia would be beset by every greedy die-hard looking for quick cash. 

Suddenly Philionel was struck by an alarming thought. What if she was still possessed? What if some lunatic was still manipulating her towards some devious deed? This would create extensive damage onto the Saillune name - only more so! Not only that but it would also tarnish the name of the Champions of Justice. 

Not a pleasurable thought at all! Something must be done immediately!

If only he knew where she was. She had fled into the city with Lina, Gourry and Zelgadis in hot pursuit. But did they catch up with her? Did they manage to break the possession spell that was plaguing his beloved daughter?

He can never be sure. But one thing's for certain: He must catch up with his daughter before any further damage is wrought. Yes, he had faith in Lina, Gourry and Zelgadis but, in this critical time, he can't afford to take any chances.

However it was now that he faced another problem: He would like to pursue his daughter himself. But his place wasn't on the adventurers' road. No, it was here, ready to sort out any problems upon the Saillune name. 

Yet he can't really abandon his role as father.....

He could always send someone after Amelia.

But who?

As he made his way through the ruined party, Phil's eye fell on Syl. She sat, by herself, upon a park bench. Her face was pale and her hands were shaking- Obviously she was still in a state of shock following Amelia's attack. 

_You're crazy! You can't be serious!_ Yelled a little voice from within Phil's brain.

Phil didn't heed this voice. Instead he approached Syl. 

"Sylphiel!" Phil greeted. "Are you all right?"

Syl, although upset as she was, managed a nod. Seeing Philionel made her relax somewhat - He was, of course, a Champion of Justice and a protector of the people.  
Yet the sight of Phil wasn't enough to rescue Syl from her shock.

"Why would Amelia attack me like that?" she asked, her voice radiant in distress. 

"She was under the power of a possession spell" Phil explained. 

Syl blinked. 

"I see..."

"But now" Phil sighed. "She's run off completely. I don't know where she is..." 

"I guess" Syl said softly "She had, by then, escaped the power of that spell....."

Suddenly her eyes widened.

"Oh no!" she cried. "If she's run off then that must mean she must be upset! Upset by what did she under the power of that possession spell!"

Phil blinked.

"What?" he inquired. "She attacks you and you're not bothered?!"

"Of course not!" Syl said. "She was, as you said, under possession! It wasn't her fault!"

"Precisely" Phil agreed.

"But now she's run off." Syl sighed. "She's gone...."

"Hold on." Phil said. "You want to tell her that you're willing to make it up for the chaos she's caused?"

Syl nodded.

"Fascinating." Phil said, grinning a sly smile. "Because I was wondering if you could do something for me....."

Syl blinked at Phil and said nothing.

But eventually she nodded. What else could she do? With her life in ruins there was pretty much little else to do. 

Phil's face then took an unusual change. His usual grin vanished only to be replaced by a more serious expression - which was most rare for his case.

"Sylphiel" Phil said, laying a gentle hand on the shrine maiden's shoulder, "I want to you to go after Amelia for me"

Immediately, Syl's eyes widened.

"Now listen Sylphiel" Phil said in a voice that was at once both firm and commanding, "My daughter is under the power of some possession spell. She is being manipulated by some bastard of an evil malefactor. Now, if she remains under this power, there is no telling of the damage that could be caused. And, as a princess of Saillune, this could create such chaos to the Saillune name!"

Syl nodded, thus telling Phil that she was taking in every word.

"Now, I want you to go after my daughter and stop her before some other disaster occurs! I also want you to do whatever you can to destroy this spell! I would go after her myself but my place is here, to deal with all the angry diplomats in this disaster. So please, go after my daughter. For me."

"Besides" he added, with a sly grin. "I think it would be a good opportunity to say that you're not angry!"

Syl slowly nodded. Then, a small smile made it's way across her face.

"Yes. I will"

And within moments, Syl was making her way through Sairaag and into the chaotic world that lay beyond the secure walls of the city. 

Phil watched her go. He sure regretted sending her off like that. Sure she was quite keen on seeing Amelia and reconciling their differences. Sure she was determined to stop Amelia from coming to harm. Sure she understood the Crown Prince's predicament. And sure she was keen to help Phil. 

But why would she take up a quest like that? As Phil recalled, Syl wasn't too well adjusted to warfare. Sure she fought, but that was out of desperation. And her fighting skills weren't exactly....  
...adequate.

And what was perhaps baffling (to the eye of the observer at least) was why would she go after someone who tried to kill her? And why would she, of all the peaceful types, go after someone in a journey that would lead her to countless dangers?

Perhaps she was more keen to see Gourry again (as Phil remembered her) and would go to any lengths to achieve her goals? 

Or was she hiding something from the Crown Prince?

Phil shook his head. Perhaps he would never know. 

But now he must let it go. For he has the most hideous of diplomatic matters to attend to.....

* * *

Chapter 8  
Contents  



	11. Chapter 8 Unexpected Information

The Woodsman Part 9 The Woodsman  
Chapter 8  
Unexpected Information 

* * *

The first rays of dawn crept along the horizon. Light began peeking out through the trees. The sky slowly evolved from a dark nightshade into a brilliant blue. The creatures of the night, retreated to their hideaways. And the forest was as silent as a tomb.

The day had begun.

Yet as the creatures of the night returned to their homes under the ground, one remained. One creature who didn't feel comfortable in daylight hours. One creature who is shunned from human eyes. One creature who seeks refuge in the darkness. One creature whose home was the night. 

A chimera.

Zel sat with his back against a tree trunk, gazing in contempt at his hands. Even in these early hours of daylight, he could still see that his hands weren't human hands. No, they were still blue, they were still rough, they were still unnatural and they were still the hands of a chimera. 

Then, as he had done several thousand times before, Zel cursed the name of the Red Priest. Cursing him for making Zel into a freak. Cursing him for making Zel a monster. Cursing him for making Zel into an object of fear and hatred.

Damn him.....

It had been several days since the catastrophic events at Sairaag. Since then, Lina, Gourry, Amelia and the chimera had been moving constantly. Keeping in mind the disasters that happened in Sairaag, it therefore wouldn't take long for the authorities to come looking for them (Amelia didn't think Martina wouldn't go so far as to place a bounty on their heads but Lina knew better then that). They also decided to head back to Dakeyras as quickly as possible, there were friends there and they will be safe. Thus the foursome had been travelling day and night. Where had taken them several days to get from Dakeyras to Sairaag, had just taken them only thirty hours in constant motion!   
When they arrived back at Dakeyras, it was to a heroes welcome. When Lina explained the events in Sairaag, the people were all shocked and offered help the foursome in anyway possible. They also agreed to hide the fugitives and keep silent to the authorities (Of course, they only agreed to this under Lina's watchful eye - And who's game to argue with Lina?!). The plan was to remain in hiding within Dakeyras until the fuss has died down. It certainly wasn't the best idea but the adventurers didn't have much of a choice.

Zelgadis rubbed his hands together. Yes, they still felt as rough and as hard as ever. And when you're part rock golem, that's practically all you can feel. It had certainly been a while since Zel touched something soft.....

Like Amelia.

The chimera sighed. Yes, Amelia. The Saillune princess herself. She was the only one who would see the chimera for who he really was. She showed him a whole new perspective on life. The events in the von Hurst mansion had certainly brought them together - In a way that neither would've thought possible. The two had been brought closer together through disaster and adversity. They had faced many an obstacle and many a danger together. And no matter what danger, they could never be brought apart.....

Yet this still didn't change the fact that she was a princess and he was a.....

Zel sighed a heavy sigh. What type of princess, an icon of the leadership and a figurehead for the general public, would hang around a chimera? What kind of Champion of Justice would hang around an abomination that the Code of Justice rebuked? Who in their right mind would hold such an adoration for a monster perceived as a threat to the populace? 

Yes, this simple fact could succeed where a horde of vampires and undead failed. It could do what the afore-mentioned obstacles couldn't. 

Yes there was the fact that Zel was a great friend of Philionel. And yes both Phil and Amelia could put in a good word for the chimera. And yes there was the records of the good things that Zel had done.

But would it be enough to justify his monstrous appearance? 

Zel raised his head and looked at the sky. He didn't have a good choice of options here. He could stay in Amelia's company but this would only create complications as she's a princess and he's a monster.....

Of course, he could journey onward to search for his cure, but this would mean.....

Zel sighed again. Continuing searching for his cure would mean travelling to the ends of the Earth. And would also mean that he would have to part company with his beloved Amelia. 

But why would he want to that? She gave him hope when all seemed doomed. She picked him up when he was down. She showed a type of affection that he could only dream of. She ignored his nightmarish appearance and saw the human inside.....

Suddenly Zel's thoughts were interrupted by a noise. It was the sound of footsteps making their way over to him. Zel turned his head to face this newcomer.

It was Lina. 

The sorceress made her way over to the chimera. She looked quite refreshed from her sleep and was grinning an enormous smile. 

"Zel!" Lina greeted. "There you are!"

"Good morning Lina" Zel replied. 

"Where've you been?" Lina asked "When we all woke up, you had disappeared!"

"I've been....thinking....."

Suddenly, Lina's smile vanished. She could sense what was going on here. Zel was having one of his moods. Oh boy....

"Let me guess" she said. "This wouldn't have something to do with Amelia right?"

Immediately the chimera's face burst into a blush. Lina grinned in triumph. 

"It is, isn't it?" she teased. 

The chimera jumped to his feet, his face bearing a scowling expression. Lina, however, wasn't too bothered with the chimera's fury. Instead, she giggled. 

"Come on, admit it!" the sorceress sniggered. "You love Amelia! You didn't think I wouldn't notice?!"

Upon hearing these words, Zelgadis paused. Seconds later, his scowl disappeared and he turned his back on the red-head. 

Lina chuckled. Yes, her suspicions were confirmed. Gently, she laid a reassuring hand on Zel's shoulder.

"Look Zel" she said. "I know that something has developed between you and Amelia, ever since that scuffle with Isabella. And I think it's great! You need her as much as she needs you! She doesn't care about your appearance! " 

Zel blinked. Yet his expression still remained morose. 

"That is true Lina" he said slowly. "But this does not change the fact that a princess of her calibre would be better off seen with a human being, not with a monster. Of course, this only strengthens my resolve to find a cure and...."

Lina let out an exasperated sigh. Her expression turned angry and her eyes grew frustrated. Damn it! Why does he have to be so stubborn?! Why does he have to hide face? And why oh why does he have to keep going on and on with crap like this?!?! Someone should knock some sense into his stone body of his.....

"EXPLOSION ARRAY!!!!!!"

The chimera's eyes widened with alarm. He could recognise those words a mile away.

Unfortunately for Zelgadis, he didn't have enough time to escape his fate. Within seconds, the ground underneath him erupted in a spray of dirt, rocks and earth. It was this eruption that sent the hapless chimera hurling through the sky. 

Lina sighed, her anger subsiding. Damn, his stubborn attitude gets on her nerves! Damn his introverted behaviou! Damn him!   
But after that spell Zel will, hopefully, get the picture.

Moments later, the chimera fell back to earth like a rock. He hit the ground with a tremendous thud. Lina grinned strode over to the prostrate chimera, grinning an enormous grin. The chimera groaned in pain.

"Look on the bright side, Zel" Lina chuckled. "If it wasn't for your cursed form, you would've had every bone in your body broken!"

"All right! All right!" Zel groaned. "You've made your point."

Lina then knelt down and lifted up Zel's arm, before proceeding to help him onto his feet.

"Look Zel" Lina explained. "Amelia doesn't care for your cursed form. She is more interested in you as a person. I mean, how blind do you have to be not to notice she had feelings for you?!?!"

"Yes" Zel said. "But what type of princess hangs around with a freakish chimera?!?!"

Lina blinked, as revelation sank in. Ah, so that is what's been bothering him....

"I see" she said. "So that's what this is about....." 

"But from what I see" she continued. "Amelia doesn't really enjoy her royal duties that much. In fact, she prefers her adventurous life over her life as a princess back at Saillune! In any case, I believe that, given the choice, she would prefer going with you to find you're cure rather than work as a princess back at Saillune."

Zel pondered on this before nodding his head. 

"You're right" he said softly. "Thank you Lina"

"Good" she grinned. 

"Come on" Lina added. "We gotta get outta here and back to the inn. We don't want to be missing out on breakfast now, do we?"

Zel nodded before following the sorceress back to Dakeyras. 

* * *

As the morning proceeded, the foursome sat around the table, ready to discuss what to do for the rest of the day. Each were keen to get out and do something but this was hampered by the urgency of keeping a low profile.

"So what we going to do, Lina?" Gourry asked. 

Lina sighed. She had a feeling Jellyfish brains would ask the inevitable. But no matter how inevitable the question was, Lina hadn't really come up with an answer. Better come up with something....

"Why Gourry!" she grinned. "I guess we relax!"

Fortunately for Lina, Gourry's denseness failed to realise that Lina didn't really have a proper answer for his question.

"Uh.... right...."

Amelia giggled at the hilarious proceedings. But Zel, ever the humourless, didn't. He had more important things on his mind then two idiots who didn't where they were heading. 

"You don't know what do. Do you Lina?" Zel said.

Lina's face fell. Dammit. Zel had seen through her bluff. Best save face then...

Lina turned to face Zel with an annoyed expression. 

"All right Zelly boy" she snapped. "Do you think you could do better?!"

Zel blinked at Lina's comeback.. This comeback sent shock waves through his cool attitude. What was worse was now that Gourry and Amelia were now all staring at him, expecting answers. Under the stare of three pairs of eyes, any one else in Zel's position would've cracked....

But not Zel. Thus it didn't take long for the chimera to retain his calm composure. He didn't fall into the same trap as Lina in looking stupid. He was too smart for that.

"There isn't much we can do." Zel reasoned. "We are on the run. And this is perhaps the only chance of sanctuary. The only thing we can do is remain in hiding until the fuss had died down."

"Ha!" Lina yelled triumphantly. "You call that a plan?! You don't have a clue as to what we're going to do either!"

"So?" Amelia argued. "He's certainly doing better then you are!"

"What do you mean by that?" Lina demanded. 

"Well" Amelia grinned. "Correct me if I'm wrong but whenever we are bored, with no idea what to do or where we're heading, something usually comes our way that changes everything!"

Zel nodded. "Exactly"

Gourry blinked diminutively. Lina, however, didn't look convinced. 

"It's worked before!" Amelia added.

Lina sighed before nodding her agreement. It wasn't much of a plan but it was better then anything she could thing of here.....

And with that, the four friends continued with breakfast, waiting for fate to give something to follow on. 

They didn't have long to wait.

Presentely, a man walked up to the table. And, from the looks of it, he wanted to discuss something with the foursome.   
This newcomer bore all the marks of a labourer: His skin was well tanned - evidence that he's spent a long time outside. The man's was big in size and muscular in structure - proof that he's spent a long time shifting heavy loads. And the man bore a smiling face - Enough to convince anyone that he was the friendly type.  
The man walked up to the table and cleared his throat. It didn't take long before he had the attention of the four adventurers.

"Pardon me" said the man. 'But I was wondering if you would like to help us." 

"Only if it involves money" replied Lina quickly, relying on her usual instincts.  
Instincts that annoyed Amelia.  
The princess stared at Lina and frowned. Jeez! How long had they been travelling together?! How long had they been friends?! You think after spending so much time in each other's company, Amelia would've made some changes to Lina's behaviour!  
Oh well, perhaps there is no rest for a Champion of Justice...

"No wait!" Amelia yelled. "We would be glad to help you."

The man grinned. He was pleased that his proposal was met with a good reception. Ge was so pleased he didn't notice Lina spluttering her drink.

"Great!" the man grinned.

"Now" he continued. "Some of the men in this village are heading off into the forest to gather firewood. And we would be happy if you would join us."

"Sure!" Amelia grinned. "We would love to help!"

However, Unbeknownest to the princess, Lina, uppn hearing these words, slammed her head down on the table. Dammit Amelia!

"Great!" the man grinned. "We set off in an hour. See you there!" And with that he headed off and disappeared.

As soon as the man was gone, Lina raised her head. With her eyes blazing with annoyed fervour, she fixed Amelia in her gaze.

"What were you thinking?!" Lina snapped. "He didn't say anything about money!" 

"So?"

"Come on!" Lina retorted. "We DON'T do things for free! Anything we do is ALWAYS for the money!"

"Yeah, but it's the least we can do!" Amelia argued. "Look around you! We have refuge from the authorities, a roof over our heads and an entire village willing to hide us whilst keep it's mouth shut!!!"

Lina blinked, pondering on Amelia's words. It didn't take the sorceress long to realise the princes was right.  
And it didn't take the sorceress long to slump back in her chair, defeated. there was no way she could argue with a statement like that.  
Even if it was entirely true.  


Zel grumbled his disgust for this proposal. His expression adapting a mask of contempt. It didn't take a genius to nut out what he was thinking.

"What's the matter Zel?" Lina said, having now become aware of his sombre mood. "You're not up for getting firewood?"

Zel silently nodded before opening his mouth....

But if Zel had plans of voicing his thoughts, no chance came - For Lina cut him off!

"YOU SEE?!?!?" she yelled at Amelia. "Zel agrees with me!!!!" 

Amelia shook her head and folded her arms. Her mind was made up. There was nothing that Lina could do that could change the princess' mind. They were going to help the villagers.  
Wether the redhead liked it or not!

Zel covered his eyes with his palm. If he wanted to voice his contempt for hanging around the villagers and their inquistive eyes!   
Once again the hell that was his appearance proved itself to be a nightmare that would never leave.....

But little did they know, but, amongst the shadows of the tavern, they were being watched....

* * *

And so, the four adventurers spent the entire day helping the villagers getting firewood. The villagers were all too happy for the company and the help. They made the fugitives welcome and needed.  
And, fortunately for Zel, they were also unnerved by the chimera's appearance. This act of compassion was unusual for Zelgadis and it certainly added ease to his troubled mind.  
The villagers were also helpful to Amelia. Even as her coughing spasms were creating much damage to her psyche, the villagers were sympathetic and helpful. Consequentely Amelia was given a small part to play in this team effort. It didn't matter that she was a princess, and this type of work was best suited to lower class labourers. What mattered was that she was an icon to the people - She must help them in any way she can. And these people need her help as much as she needs theirs.   
The day's events then turned out to be a worthwhile undertaking - it certainly eased the minds of the fugitives. Gourry took to the act of felling wood like a duck to water! With weapons being his area of expertise, he weild the axe brilliantly - His skills as a swordsman proving immensely useful here. Tree after tree fell at Gourry's hand. No wonder the people of Dakeyras were so impressed!

Apart from this helping, the rest of the day passed without incident. Nothing of importance really happened to the four adventurers. But not that it hampered them: The main concerns for the foursome was keeping a low profile as much as possible within the confines of Dakeyras.   
Out of the foursome however, only Zel seemed to recall the threat that was the murderer. He made a few inquires in amongst the townsfolk but his answers were inconclusive: Apparently, the murderer was still at large and still a cause for concern but he's been rather quiet of late. No murders had been reported and no severed heads had emerged in the village square. So the townsfolk had assumed that he had left Dakeyras as it is and moved on. This assumption certainly placed the villagers minds at ease...  
...But it didn't change the fact that the murderer still roamed free....

However quiet the day was, it still didn't make any changes to Amelia's psyche. Now her coughing fits were getting worse. Each fit was growing more violent and more frequent with each passing hour. On countless occasions, Zel leant his shoulder for the princess to lean on and many times she refused, convinced she was strong enough to conquer this hazard.

Eventually, as the sun made it's way downwards from the sky and back behind the mountains, the foursome grew tired, the work of the day's activites amounting on their weary bones.

As darkness further descended, Zel lit a fire. The villagers had already left, leaving the four friends behind. And it was this fire that he relaxed in front of, letting the flames warm his tired bones, letting the flames shield him from the cold the night offered, letting the flames allow him to forget the sounds that was transpiring within the forest.

Sounds that seemed to sound like a furious Lina yelling at the top of her lungs.....

Presently, Zelgadis' solitude came to an end. For he was greeted by the presence of Amelia. She came into the light of the flame, with a huge grin on her face. 

"Hi Zel!" she grinned.

"Hello" he replied. "What's so funny?"

"You won't believe this" she giggled. "Gourry trying really hard to get a fire going!"

Zel blinked in disbelief. He knew the limits of Gourry's inteeligence but even a task like lighting a fire seems even beyond the swordsman. 

"You can't be serious!" Zel exclaimed. "Can't he see I've already got one going here? Surely he would be better off over here with this fire instead of lighting his own?!"

"Yeah" Amelia agreed. "Right now, Lina's getting stuck into him, even as we speak!"

Zel grimaced. As always, It is NEVER a good idea to get Lina mad. 

Just then, Amelia sat down beside Zel, also taking in the warmth the campfire offered. The chimera blinked.

And for a moment not a word was spoken....

"Lina tells me you're not keen on spending your life as a princess" Zel said eventually. 

Amelia blinked several times in surprise. Then she nodded. 

"Yeah I'd rather go and see the world then stay cooped up in a palace....."

"So you can go and spread the word of Justice?" Zel said teasingly.

Amelia chuckled. "Yeah, you could say that!"

"And besides" she added. "I'd rather stay with Lina...and you"

Zel's expression then grew uncomfortable.

"So" he said. "Instead of living as a princess, you'd rather live a life on the road with a wanted criminal and a monster?"

Suddenly, Amelia's smile disappeared from her face. It was then that she saw the angle Zelgadis was coming from. 

She then she shifted her position closer towards the chimera. Gently she reached and placed her palm against the side of his face. 

This form of contact was enough to make Zel raise an eyebrow. Her hand - It felt so soft, just as soft as he has come to believe it to be. So soft compared to his rock hard skin.....

"Zelgadis" Amelia said softly, "Given that choice, I would always choose to stand by you. You need me as much as I need you. And in any case the feelings are all that matters."

Zel pondered on Amelia's words, before smiling one of his all too rare smiles. And it was a smile just for the princess. 

And with that, Amelia leaned her head up against the Chimera's body, taking in his body warmth and wrapped her slender arms around his right arm. 

And silence descended. A silence that lasted quite a while. Not a word was spoken, because neither Amelia or Zel felt the need. Both the chimera and the princess enjoyed the company the other provided and the intimacy of the moment.....

Just then, Lina entered the scene, still gnashing her teeth in frustration at Gourry. Jeez, how can the numbskull be so stupid?! How much longer is he going to work on that futile fire?!!? Can't he see his blundering attempts wern't going anywere?!?! Couldn't he see there was already one going on right here.....

It didn't, however, take long for Lina's furious eyes to catch sight of Amelia and Zel, bundled up together. Immediately Lina grinned, her eyes losing all concept of ferocity and adapting a mask of softness. She opened her mouth to speak....

But Amelia and Zel both looked up at the sorceress.....

.....Which gave Lina's brain it's cue to tell Lina to leave.

"....I....I...I think I might go and get some more firewood!" she blundered out with.

And with that Lina made a hasty exit into the depths of the darkened forest. 

Yet as she made her departure, she could hear another one of Amelia's coughing fits.

And as Lina made her way through the darkened forest, try as she might she couldn't forget the princess' poor health. And now that she had the time and the silence, she also had the space to think.....

Poor Amelia. The kid was really doing it tough. Her coughing fits were certainly wrecking tremendous havoc upon the princess. Indeed, Amelia sounded worse and worse with each passing day. Just how much damage was her ill-health creating?

Would she be able to see this through? Would she be able to get her hands on the ruthless bastard who was responsible for this heinous deed? Would she find a cure....?

Lina stopped and then chuckled. 

For a moment there, she just stepped into the Zelgadis Greywars line of thought!

Lina smiled at her thoughts. No matter what happens, no matter how much more sick Amelia gets, no matter how much of her psyche gets crippled, at least she will still have the support of her friends. Friends who will stand with her through thick and thin and won't ever let her down.

Zelgadis in particular. 

But not even Zelgadis' affections for the princess made a difference to her ill - health. And being branded fugitives didn't make things any better. The amount of fleeing was certainly taking it's toll on the group - Amelia in particular. There's never any easy travelling when one has a sick person in tow and Amelia is no exception. Thus the going has been quite slower than usual. But what makes matters worse was that they were fleeing blindly into the darkness, with no idea where they were heading or why. 

No, this entire adventure was turning into a disaster.

Oh well, things could certainly be worse.

Suddenly, a voice rang out from the darkness. 

"Ah! Lina Inverse! Fancy seeing you out here on a night like this!!!"

In an instant, Lina's train of thought fell into complete disarray. The sorceress stopped dead in her tracks. That voice. She could recognise it a mile away. 

How could she forget it? That particular voice carried a sense of foreboding doom with it. It spelled trouble for all those within earshot. It came from a source of frustration and anguish. 

It was a voice Lina hoped to never hear again.

With her blood boiling and her eyes radiating with fury, Lina turned her head in the direction of the voice.

And there, reclining on the branch of a nearby tree, was the Trickster Priest himself. With staff in hand, eyes shut and smiling his usual smile, he resembled a picture of pure Machiavellian perfection. 

Much to Lina's annoyance.

Just when she thought things couldn't get worse....

Man, talk about famous last words!

"What do you want?" Lina snapped. 

Xelloss opened his eyes and donned a playfully saddened expression. 

"Do you always greet people like this?" he said "Oh, I'm hurt!" 

"You certainly will be!" Lina snarled. "EXPLOSION ARRAY!!!!!"

And, in a split second, the tree that Xelloss was sitting in was unearthed by Lina's spell. Great roots groaned their protests as they were pulled from the earth. The mighty trunk couldn't hope to withstand the destructive blast. The branches whistled in the wind as the tree was hurled upwards and into the stratosphere. 

Lina glared at the hole in the ground where the tree once stood. She wasn't particularly surprised to see that Xelloss had disappeared, leaving no trace of him being there. As she got her breath back, she recovered her thoughts. What the hell was Xelloss doing here?! Knowing the manipulative bastard, he wouldn't show his face unless.....

...Unless he knows something no one else did..... 

Wait a minute. Did that blasted mazoku know something about the evil force that was plaguing Amelia?!?!

As Lina pondered on this revelation, the Trickster Priest reappeared beside her. 

"Ah Lina!" he grinned. "I see you're still as short-tempered as I remember. It seems the months apart haven't changed you at all!"

Unfortunately for Xelloss, Lina wasn't in the mood for any of his mind games! In a swift motion, Lina reached out and grabbed the mazoku by the scruff of his neck. 

"All right, Xel" Lina growled. "I'm not in the mood for your tricks!"

"You never are." Xel replied bluntly. 

Lina roared in fury before hurling Xelloss through the air and into a nearby tree! Xel hit the trunk with a tremendous thud, before landing on the ground - headfirst! 

Xel groaned as Lina made her way over to the mazoku. The sorceress grinned evilly and cracked her knuckles. 

"If I didn't know better" Lina said. "You most likely have something to tell me. Otherwise you wouldn't have shown yourself to me after all these months."

"Oh, is it that obvious?"

"Pretty much." Lina chuckled, quite chuffed that this was certainly turning out to be a victory against the infuriating Trickster. 

"Now" she went on "What do you have to tell me?"

"That's a secret!" Xel sniggered.

Upon hearing those three words she dreaded, Lina went overboard. With an expression that would've sent shock waves of fear through the bravest Dragon Slayer, she loomed above Xelloss with the fury of a thousand whirlwinds. 

"WHAT THE HELL DO YOU MEAN IT'S A SECRET?!?!?!?" she bellowed. "THIS HAPPENS TO BE VERY IMPORTANT TO ME!!!! IF YOU DON'T TELL WHAT...."

"All right, all right, all right!" Xelloss interrupted. "You win!"

Upon hearing this, Lina's furious expression died down instantaneously. 

"Good." Lina said, her fury now a distant memory. "I'm glad we got that settled."

"Well" the Trickster Priest groaned, still reeling from the destruction wrought onto his ear drums. "I guess I should tell you what I know."

Lina nodded. Her suspicions had finally proven to be correct.

Hang on, If Xel knows something about Amelia then this could lead to an even bigger disaster....

Xelloss disappeared, only to reappear the right way up before Lina. He cleared his throat, dropped his usual smile and opened his eyes. 

"I have been watching your progress from afar....."

"YOU'VE BEEN WATCHING US?!?!?" Lina interrupted. She wasn't liking the sound of this. 

".....By orders of Zelas!" Xelloss retorted, finishing his sentence.

At the mention of the lord of Wolf Pack Island, Lina fell silent. If Zelas was involved, then this couldn't be good....

"Although you don't know it" Xelloss went on, "But the four of you are in great danger."

"This wouldn't happen to have anything to do with Amelia would it?!" Lina demanded.

Xel nodded. 

"Yes indeed. Amelia's poor health is truly the work of an evil force."

Lina blinked. Well that would certainly explain a lot....

"And who or what is this evil force?" she asked. 

"Three magic users of considerable force" Xel explained. "The first one is a mighty sorceress Alana. She has built up a formidable reputation with her interests in alchemy and the art of creating life-forms. The second one is Adolphus, a necromancer of considerable power." 

"And the third?" Lina asked.

"That's a secret!" Xel grinned.

Infuriated by Xelloss, Lina dived for him, with hands outstretched ready for pounding. And she would've beaten him to a bloody pulp, if he didn't teleport out of her way!

Lina landed head first into the ground. After getting her thoughts together after a particularly rough landing, she looked up and saw Xelloss, still smiling like the smug git he was, standing over her. 

"Why would you care what happens to us?" Lina growled. 

Xelloss' smile vanished and he opened his eyes. 

"It is only by accident that you got involved with their secret plan" he answered. 

Lina blinked.

"Secret plan?"

Xel nodded gravely. 

"These three are plotting something so insidious, so hideous, so horrible that Zelas asked me to step in and ruin it for them. What they're planning cannot go ahead, no matter what! And that's where I've been for the past few months - Doing whatever I can to stop this plan from going ahead."

Lina blinked. Wow, If Zelas was asking Xelloss to stop these three evil powers, the very same evil powers that have plaguing Amelia, then this is deadly serious.....

Holy L-sama, what the hell has Lina and her friends got themselves involved in here?!?!?

"What's worse" the Trickster Priest went on. "Is that you have unwittingly stumbled your way into this plot. All four of you, Amelia in particular, are now a target for these three. And they will send their minions to deal with you."

It was these words that Lina's concerns had become flesh. This wasn't good at all.....

And with that, the Trickster turned to go. Lina blinked, before scrambling to her feet and grabbing hold of Xel's shoulder.

"Hey, wait a minute here!" she yelled.

"Yes?" Xel replied turning.

"What would these three want with Amelia?"

Instantaneously, Xelloss' familiar smile returned and his eyes closed.

"That's a secret!" he laughed.

Lina opened her mouth to unleash a holocaust of curses.....

When a strange howl filled the air. 

A strange howl that was enough to finish Lina's stream of curses before it even began. 

"What the hell was that?" the sorceress demanded. 

"That, I guess!" Xelloss grinned, indicating into the darkness. 

And from the darkness came creatures of darkness. Creatures of nightmares. Creatures whose appearance would turn blood to water. Creatures that were once humans but were now shadows existing within the threshold of life and death. They were numbered seven and they were encased in dark robes. Their hands were skeletal and it was these hands that wielded a vicious scythe. Their faces were leering skulls, housing a pair of red eyes that glowered with malevolence. Red eyes that located the two "friends" and led the Wraiths into advancing, scythes at the ready. 

Xelloss' expression hardened and he opened his eyes. 

"Wraiths!" he growled.

"Wraiths?!" Lina echoed. "What are you talking about?!?"

"These monstrosities were once the practitioners of black magic" Xel explained. "However, their constant use of their craft has consumed their form and left them the soulless husks they are today."

"WHAT!??!" Lina yelled. "How do you defeat these guys?!? What are we going to do?"

Immediately, Xelloss closed his eyes and donned his familiar grin.

"What are WE going to do?" he chuckled. "Don't you mean what YOU are going to do?"

And with that, he was gone, leaving the battle scene in his usual vanishing act.

Lina stared in aghast at the Priest's quick exit. But there was not time to curse his name - Right now the sorceress faced the problem of seven scythe-wielding Wraiths bearing down upon her.....

* * *

Chapter 9  
Contents  



	12. Chapter 9 Wraith Intrusion

The Woodsman The Woodsman  
Chapter 9  
Wraith Intrusion 

* * *

Now that Xelloss had disappeared, Lina Inverse found herself facing certain death at the hands of a bunch of wraiths. Faced with seven nightmarish creatures that didn't belong in this mortal plane, she didn't really have a lot of options. Nor did she have a lot of time to think out a plan.

As the seven wraiths loomed above her, Lina's instincts took control.

"FIREBALL!"

Immediately, a ball of flame burst from Lina's hands and immolated the airspace between herself and the wraiths. The spectres all stopped advancing and reeled from the flames. The fireball rose above Lina's head, enlightening the darkened forest as it ascended, before hovering above the startled onlookers. This gave Lina enough time to scamper out of their way. 

Quick as a flash, she crawled out of the wraith's grasp and got to her feet. 

Then, much to her frustration, she noticed that the her fireball didn't cause much damage upon the wraiths. Instead, they had now recovered from the shock and were now resuming their advance. 

All but one. This one wraith did not advance with the others. Instead it reached out a skeletal hand and grabbed out at the fireball. The wraith's hand crushed the fireball and, immediately, the ball of flame was reduced to nothing. The wraith had dispelled Lina's fireball away to nothing - And with a minimal amount of effort too. 

Lina gnashed her teeth. Great. This was just marvellous. Here she was, threatened by seven beings of the undeath, seven beings she'd had never encountered before, seven beings of considerable power and seven beings who can stop her spells quite easily. 

And what was worse the only one who knew how to stop these tough bastards had just done a disappearing act!

But surely she would've heard of these wraiths before? 

Quickly, Lina racked her brains for answers. Calling upon her education as a sorceress, calling upon what she knew about the world and it's inhabitants, calling everything she had been taught before. Surely she must have read somewhere about these wraiths!

Unfortunately for Lina, her mind was blank. Try as she might, she could not recall the answers she sought. The situation was certainly not looking good.....

And what made matters worse was the wraiths were now advancing closer and closer. Immediately, Lina was struck by an urgency that told the sorceress to get moving. 

Pursing under her breath, Lina fled from the clutches of the wraiths and their lethal scythes. She needs to find her friends and quickly.....

If Gourry's Sword of Light can't finish off these guys, then nothing will!

* * *

Meanwhile Amelia, still with her arms wrapped around Zelgadis, erupted into another coughing fit. The chimera blinked. This was the umpteenth time this evening. What was happening to Amelia? Why was she beset with these horrendous coughing fits? 

He knew she was plagued by an evil force but what exactly was this destruction that the evil force was causing? 

Amelia, now free from her coughing fit, leant back against the chimera and settled in within his company. Then, in an act of affection, Zel reached out and gently stroked the princess' hair. Yet, what brought the chimera's fingers in contact with, was nothing like he was expecting. 

Zelgadis' eyes hardened. The last time he had stroked Amelia's hair was when they had defeated Diol. Yet back then, her hair had seemed quite ridged. Now Amelia's strands of hair had grown even harder. Amelia's raven black hair had now grown from it's gentle softness to a stiffness that was both disturbing and sinister. It was almost like Amelia's strands of hair had now grown into needles.....

Zel's eyes widened with alarm. His brain was directing him to a realisation that was dreadful and alarming.....

Zel reached out and gently stroked the princess' face. Yet it was in this simple gesture of affection that Zel's suspicions were confirmed. Amelia's flesh had curiously hardened.....

Yes, hardened. Amelia's flesh wasn't the soft, gentle, sensation that Zel recalled. 

Amelia blinked at this gesture. What was intended as a method of seeking answers was perceived as a token of romantic affection. 

The princess looked up at the chimera and smiled sweetly. Zelgadis returned her gaze.

But now that he thought about it, this wasn't the Amelia he recalled. Something was happening to the princess. Something that was changing her. Something sinister. Something abominable. Something that could only be dreamed up in the minds of the most evil force imaginable. 

So, Zelgadis returned Amelia's smile. Yet while Zel's lips smile, his eyes didn't. His eyes revealed that the chimera was indeed concerned for the princess. 

Suddenly, he was struck by the genius of revelation. In that instant, everything became clear. All the clues, the hardened skin and the needle-like hair, were all pointing to the one conclusion. 

Zel's hands began shaking.   
No. It can't be.   
IT CAN"T BE!! 

This isn't happening! Not here! Not now! How could this be?! It was impossible!

Desperately, Zel tried to nullify this conclusion. Dispel this conclusion. Destroy this conclusion. Tried to come to another conclusion, in order to eradicate this monstrosity of a revelation. 

But to no avail. No amount of concealment could hide the chimera from the terrible truth. Yeah, the terrible truth. It was like all his nightmares had become flesh.

Amelia noticed Zel's shaking hands and his change in expression. What was once radiating with intimacy was now overcome with an amalgamation of fear, anger, dispair and a thirst for vengeance. Immediately she, using her hard forged skills as a Champion of Justice, sensed danger.

"Zelgadis!" she said with alarm. "What's wrong?!"

But Zelgadis didn't answer straight away. Instead, he paused, trying to come to grips with the terrible disaster that was plaguing his companion.

"It seems" he answered, softly. "That my worst nightmares have come true."

Amelia blinked in horror. If Zel was using such a choice of words then this can't be good!

She opened her mouth to speak.......

And she would've asked Zel about his fear had she not been interrupted.

The interruption came in the form of Gourry, emerging into the warm glow of the campfire, after spending so much time trying to utilise the brain power necessary to light a fire. He had spent ages trying. He tried everything. But no amount of effort or methods (that Gourry knew of) seemed to work. In fact the reason why he kept trying was his determination to triumph. But even one's determination can fail.....   
Eventually he gave up and went to find his friends.  
Only to find that Zel had already succeeded where the swordsman had failed.

But if Gourry was frustared after all his failed efforts, he certainly didn't show it. Instead, he caught sight of Amelia and Zel together. And it didn't take him long for Gourry to grin an enormous grin.

"Hey there!" Gourry said. "Zel! Amelia! What's up?"

Both the chimera and the princess looked up. If they were annoyed at Gourry barging in and ruining their intimate moment, they certainly didn't show it. 

"So..." Gourry went on. "Have you both seen Lina around somewhere?"

Just then, Gourry got the answers to his question much quicker then expected. For at that moment, Lina came charging in, her face revealing stress from panic and too much running. 

Speak of the Devil.....

"Ah! Lina!" Gourry beamed. "There you are! Where've you been?"

"GOURRY, WE'VE GOT NO TIME FOR THAT!!!!" Lina shouted. "Get off your arse!"

"Why?" Gourry blinked.

It didn't take him long to find out.

For at that moment, the seven wraiths burst onto the scene, each waving their scythes in a deadly arc, looking for the four souls that they had been sent to eradicate. Looking for the four intruders. Looking for the four interlopers.....

.....And one of those four in particular....

Lina took several steps backward away from the wraiths and towards Gourry. The closer she was to his Sword of Light, the better. If that can't stop these bastards then nothing will! Amelia and Zel were also taking action. They broke out of their romantic bond and both got to their feet. 

"So...." Gourry began "Is this where you'd disappeared to?"

"Uh....yeah....." Lina answered.

"Are these guys friends of yours?" 

Lina slapped her forehead, in disbelief. Yet in spite of Gourry's stupidity, she still remained in control of the situation. There is little point in fighting amongst each other when a greater danger is making it's way towards you....

"Just get your sword out Gourry...." Lina growled through clenched teeth. 

"But Lina! I don't know these guys!"

It was true. Judging by his expression, Gourry had never seen a wraith before let alone a whole bunch of them! Consequently he had no idea what to make of these newcomers. . 

"Come on!" Zel snapped. "We don't have time for this!"

That was true. The wraiths were circling the foursome, scythes at the ready. They were moving in a position to attack. 

Lina, now twitching with rage, was also apprehensive. If she didn't act quickly, there would be no spells in her knowledge (or even no Sword of Light) that she could utilise to her defence. Thus, she better bring the swordsman up to speed. 

Lina grabbed Gourry by the hair and dragged his face down to her level. 

"Look Gourry" she snarled, directing his face in the direction of the wraiths, and pointing with her finger, "They are bad!"

Gourry blinked, as Lina's evaluation of the situation entered his thick skull. An evaluation that only he could understand. Seconds later, his face grew with enlightenment.

If these strange people were as bad as Lina said, this could only mean one thing.

A GOOD FIGHT!

Immediately, Gourry's definition of heroism ignited! It did not matter whether or nor he had seen cretins like these before. It didn't matter if he was perplexed by their appearance. It didn't even matter what side of the grave they came from. 

What mattered was that they were bad. 

Yes, that was all that mattered. 

With a cry of "Light come Forth!", Gourry produced his empty sword hilt with dramatic flourish. Instantaneously, an enormous blade of light shot from the hilt and penetrated the airspace between the swordsman and the wraiths.   
The swordsman grinned. Yes, it's certainly been a while since he's weld his sword! Thus, an opportunity like this is too good to pass up!  
He just hoped his skills haven't diminished over the past few days....

Lina breathed a huge sigh of relief. Well, at least Jellyfish Brains has finally got his act together. Now, about these wraiths.

Suddenly she looked up and blinked. Something wasn't quite right here.....

"All right!" Gourry grinned. "Which one of you would like to be first?"

"Umm.... Gourry?" Lina said. "They're not listening to you..."

"Huh?" Gourry blinked, 

If the swordsman wasn't too busy being blinded by battle fervour and quoting lines that could only come from the heroes of some second-rate theatrical play, he would've noticed that the wraiths weren't interested in him or Lina. 

No, the undead monstrosities were turning their backs completely and moving elsewhere. 

That elsewhere being Amelia and Zelgadis. 

The two friends stood back to back as the wraiths closed in around them. 

"What.... ARE these things?" Amelia inquired, her voice radiant in both curiosity and fear. Obviously she, like Lina and Gourry, had never seen one of these wraiths before. 

But Zel had. Ever since he laid his gaze on these monstrosities, his face had grown nervous. His eyes ignited with panic. His fingers started twitching. His joints adjusted to, and prepared for, the order to run. 

Yes, he certainly knew of these type of bastards....

And he also knew all about exactly what they were capable of. 

With an expression that described fear at it's greatest, Zel quickly grabbed Amelia around the waist. Needless to say the princess was at once both shocked.... and thrilled by his touch.

"Zelgadis?!" Amelia cried.

The chimera didn't answer. Instead, he leapt into the air, allowing his demon powers to carry him through the cold night air and over the heads of the wraiths. 

Yet even as the wraiths had no faces, they were certainly astonished by this quick move. Immediately, their long-dead throats let out a shrill rasp of dry air. Long unused vocal chords let out a ghastly shriek. A shriek that could only come from a beast furious at being cheated out of it's trophy of victory.

It didn't take long for Zel's feet to return to the ground. Immediately after, he set Amelia back on her feet. Immediately, Lina and Gourry came running over.

"Amelia! Zel!" Gourry grinned. "You're all right!"

"Yeah" Lina added. "But we gotta move fast! We don't know what we're dealing with here!"

"You don't" Zel snorted.

In an instant, Lina forgot all about the danger she was in. In an instant she forgot all about the threat that the seven wraiths possessed. In an instant she forgot all about the urgency about the situation. Instead, she turned to face the chimera, with an aggressive expression.

"Oh yeah?!?" she snapped. "And I suppose you do?!?"

"Yes, as a matter of fact, I do!" Zel retorted.

"And how would you know?" Lina snapped.

Yet if the sorceress and the chimera turned away from their argument for one second, they would've realised the wraiths were advancing, with scythes at the ready.

But even as Lina and Zel didn't notice, Gourry and Amelia did. 

"Uh.... Lina?" Gourry said.

"Lina? Zel? We don't have time for this....!" Amelia added.

But Lina was completely oblivious to the mayhem around her. What mattered was beating the chimera at the argument. 

"I know" Zel explained, who was just as oblivious. "Because I read a book in Rezo's library. I know because that library contained everything I need to know in this world!"

Lina snorted. She wasn't convinced.

"Uhhh..... Lina?" Gourry said, his voice growing with urgency.

"ZEL!!!" Amelia yelled. 

"These guys are wraiths." Zel went on. "They are soulless husks who have been destroyed by the constant use of magic. As a consequence they are doomed to wander this earth with a touch that brings instant death!"

By now, the seven wraiths were well and truly upon them. And still Lina and Zel refused to break out of the parallel universe that was their, rather heated, argument.

No matter how much Amelia and Gourry tried to get their attention. 

By now, it seemed even to Gourry that he was on his own. If he was to survive this battle, it was without the help of Lina and Zelgadis. 

Cursing, he gripped his Sword of Light with both hands and brought it down on the nearest wraith. And not even could such a monstrosity could withstand the mighty power of Gourry's blade. In seconds, the wraith disintegrated into nothingness with a shrill howl. Pleased with this victory, Gourry set to work on the remaining wraiths. With quick movements and the most fluid of swordplay, Gourry dodged the deadly blows of the wraiths' scythes and their deadly touch. In time he soon brought down one after another. 

And all the while, Lina and Zelgadis argued, oblivious to all that was happening around them. And Amelia sat down and rested her chin on her hands in defeat - her efforts to bring them back to earth failing completely. 

"Really?" Lina snarled. "If you were so smart in getting this information from Rezo's library then why didn't you find a book that would give you this cure you've been searching for so long?!"

"This is before he transformed me!!!" Zel growled, the intensity of the conversation making him speak without thinking. "This was when I was a child! This was when...."

Amelia sighed. The annoyance of the argument was growing to be a real irratation on her eardrums. Jeez, didn't they realise the danger they were both in....?

Suddenly she looked up. Where did the wraiths go? Shouldn't they have already dealt the killing blow by now?! 

Needless to say, when she saw Gourry, standing triumphantly in the middle of an empty battlefield, her eyes nearly popped out of her head!

Gourry, breathing heavily but still quite pleased with himself, withdrew his powerful Sword of Light. Then he looked up and, catching Amelia's gaze, smiled at the princess. 

Amelia smiled back. Then she turned to the chimera and the sorceress, who had still no idea as to the developments to the situation around them. Amelia adopted an evil grin and strode up to the squabbling pair. She drew a deep breath.....

"LINA! ZELGADIS!!!"

Faced with the oppression of the power of Amelia's vocal chords, the argument came to a standstill. Both Lina and Zel stopped and stared at the princess in stunned silence. 

The chimera was the first to speak. 

"Amelia?" 

"Forgetting something?" Amelia snapped.

Lina blinked before being struck by the genius of revelation. 

"Oh yeah! Those wraiths!"

"What wraiths?" Amelia retorted, waving her hands in Gourry's direction.

Greeted with the sight of the swordsmen breathing heavily whilst standing in an empty battlefield, Lina blinked in astonishment.

"Oh....."

* * *

Chapter 10  
Contents  



	13. Chapter 10 A Stranger in the Shadows

The Woodsman Part 10 The Woodsman  
Chapter 10  
A Stranger in the Shadows 

* * *

The stranger entered the town. Hidden by the confines of a heavy cloak and cowl, this newcomer made it's way towards the darkened streets. But if the stranger was wearing the heavy cloak with the concern on running into trouble, such worrying wasn't necessary. Being in the middle of the night, there was no one else about. Plus, in the event of trouble, the various shadows that made up the town offered some sort of refuge. 

But it mattered not: the stranger was able to find it's way around, unchallenged.

The space also gave the stranger time to think. 

What was this town's name? Dakeyras? It said so on that sign back there, right?

But what did it matter? The stranger was tired. Tired after journeying all day. Tired after journeying on a road that was leading nowhere. Tired after spending yet another day journeying onward, searching for an empty destiny.....

Yes, an empty destiny. Once you lose grip of that which gives you a sense of self-purpose, what are you? A shade of your former self that's doomed to roam this earth with no concept on what else to do? A empty husk with no concept of self-worth?

Life can be so cruel.....

But for now, what mattered was that the stranger's bones were crippled with weariness. What mattered was the importance of finding somewhere to sleep. What mattered was finding an inn or something.....

It didn't take long for the stranger to find exactly that.

There it was, standing a short way ahead, like a beacon of refuge, a hope of sanctuary.

The stranger grinned in triumph before striding up to the door of the inn and entering.

The inn's owner was merely minutes from going to bed. But with this new arrival, such a plan was about to face severe changes. 

The innkeeper looked up from the bar, at the stranger. Odd, he wasn't expecting anyone at this hour. Especially anyone hiding every square inch of their features under a heavy cloak and cowl.

Could this person be trusted? Anyone turning up at some ridiculous hour, completely concealed by a heavy cloak certainly bears an aura of mystery about them. And these sort of people weren't exactly the types to be trusted.....

But even as this stranger was hardly the trustworthy type, he/she was still a customer....

"What can I do for you?" the innkeeper inquired.

A voice, bearing rich evidence of femineity emerged from the heavy cowl:

"Do you have a spare room?"

* * *

".....And that's the whole story" Lina finished. 

Silence descended upon her friends. In the stillness of the night and the illumination from the bonfire, not a word was spoken. As a full moon made it's way across the sky and above the tree tops, the four companions pondered on the unexpected appearance of Xelloss, his interloping intentions and his piece of alarming information.

Gourry, though dim-witted he was, wore an expression of concern. Even with his mediocre IQ, he could still tell that whenever Xelloss was involved, things begin to get out of control. 

And all the more so when Zelas herself was also involved.

Zel, on the other hand, was absolutely angered by this piece of abrupt, if not disturbing, news. At the mention of the mazoku, his eyes hardened, his fists closed and he looked like he could break someone's bones without hesitation. Indeed, the chimera's distrust for Xelloss had hardly changed at all since he'd last seen him. 

Amelia however was the most solemn of the four. It isn't everyday you find yourself the target of a partnership of evil. It wasn't bad enough that her health was failing due to some evil curse but to be pursued by three evil minds as well.....?

Lina noticed the princess' expression and laid a gentle hand on her shoulder. What she's been going through must be absolute hell.....

"So what do we do now?" Gourry asked.

"I guess we go and find this Adolphus and this Alana and force them into undoing this spell that's destroying Amelia." Lina sighed. "What else can we do?"

Gourry blinked before nodding. Yeah that seems like the typical Lina plan. 

Suddenly he had one of his all too rare thoughts.

"Hang on!" Gourry started. "If we leave Dakeyras then we would certainly be caught by the authorities from Sairaag!"

"Oh well" Lina shrugged. "I guess we trash them as well!"

Gourry grinned at Lina's resolution. Well, he's certainly not going to argue with THAT.

Now delighted that she had Gourry's agreement in this, Lina looked to Amelia. Even now, she was looking worse and worse. Her expression was paling, her coughing was becoming more and more horrendous, and her hair was becoming more and more rigid. Whatever was plaguing Amelia was certainly creating a lot of damage.

Yet even as sick as she was, Amelia still nodded her approval.

Lina blinked. 

"Are you sure, kid?"

"Yes" Amelia whispered. 

Lina paused. Should she be taking Amelia along? Should she facing life and limb in some great danger when she's in this appalling condition?! 

The red-head sighed. No matter how she looked at the situation, she could not neglect the fact that Amelia was a friend. And the sorceress certainly wasn't the type of person who would turn away from a friend, nor let them down. 

Lina lightly patted Amelia's shoulder and smiled. 

Then her gaze settled on the chimera.

Zel's expression explained his annoyance perfectly. This intervention with Xelloss and his master Zelas was hardly satisfying on his part. There was no way in hell he wanted to play a part in anything which those mazoku were involved in. 

Zel could feel three pairs of inquisitive eyes gazing at him, awaiting an answer. Immediately, his face screw up with contempt. 

"NO!" he snapped. "No way!"

The other three blinked in astonishment. 

"Why not?" Gourry asked. 

"Don't you get it?" Zel said "Every time we follow a trail of clues left by Xelloss, we usually end up much worse off then when we started! And if Zelas is connected in this, then we are heading into something big here, indeed. Something where we are being dragged into so Zelas can achieve her goals."

"How do you figure that?" Lina inquired. 

"Well" Zel reasoned "Xelloss takes orders from his master only. Right?"

Lina, Amelia and Gourry nodded.

"And in this instance, he is warning us on the behalf of Zelas. Right?"

"Yessss....." Lina mused, whilst stroking her chin.

"So why would he do that? Why would he give information about the dangers we are in? Why would he tell about the evil forces that threaten us?

"Because these evil forces are working for a higher power. A higher power that is perhaps threatening Zelas."

Upon hearing the chimera's theory, Lina raised an eyebrow. Amelia blinked and Gourry scratched his head. 

"So what you're saying" Amelia said. "Is that we are caught up in the middle of a war between mazoku?"

The chimera nodded.

"It's a theory." Lina said. "But that doesn't explain what part Amelia plays in this fracas."

"All the same" Zel said. "I'm still not coming with you.'

"Oh come on!" Lina cried out. "You still distrust Xelloss that much?!"

"Oh yeah?" Zel retorted. "Then why, if we are truly the pawns in Zelas' plans, are so you keen to go with whatever that mazoku has up her sleeve?"

Lina paused uncertain as to how to answer Zelgadis' question. 

"My guess" Zel continued. "Is that we stay here."

"WHAT?!?!" Lina shouted, in exasperation. "You can't be serious!"

"What do you mean by that?" Zel snapped back. "Firstly, Amelia is no state to travel. Secondly, we should remain in hiding from the authorities and thirdly if we are being threatened by those evil powers then it's somewhat inevitable that they will come looking for us!"

Lina blinked. 

"Well" she said, softly and thoughtfully, "That seems like a good idea....."

But all of a sudden, her eyes grew with fury!

"....BUT STILL!!!!!" she thundered.

"But what?" replied Zel, without flinching an eyebrow. 

"THIS ISN'T LIKE ME TO REMAIN IN HIDING!!!!!!"

"Sorry?" Zel blinked.

"HIDING ISN'T THE TYPE OF THING FOR SUCH A BEAUTIFUL, WONDERFUL, SORCERESS AND BANDIT KILLER LIKE MYSELF!!!!!!"

Zel sighed, and covered his eyes.

"Isn't that what you do all the time?" he retorted. "Have you forgotten that wherever we go we always seem to attract the attention of many would-be bounty hunters?!?"

Lina didn't reply, instead she looked swiftly to Amelia and Gourry. But neither didn't look like they wanted to offer a hand in defending her argument. The swordsman was sniggering heartily at the red-head and the chimera as they bickered at each other. Even Amelia was seeing the funny side of the situation - Her sounds of giggling certainly made a pleasurable difference to her constant fits of coughing. 

"Jeez Lina" Gourry snickered. "Come on. Lets just follow Zel's idea. At least he has one."

"THAT'S NOT IT!!!!!!!" The sorceress yelled.

"Oh, Lina!" Amelia said in exasperation. "What's there to argue?!"

"WHATS THERE TO ARGUE?!?!?!?" Lina bellowed "I'LL TELL WHAT THERE'S TO ARGUE!!!! IT'S WHENEVER BLUE BOY AND I HAVE AN ARGUMENT, HE ALWAYS ENDS UP WINNING!!!!!!!!"

Upon hearing this, Gourry blinked in disbelief, while Amelia and the chimera fell flat on their face! Lina however continued yelling at the swordsman.

"And another thing" she snapped. "Why don't you ever take my side in these arguments?!?! What type of friend are you?!?!?"

"Well it's just that Zel always has great ideas!" Gourry protested. "Better then anything then I could come up with!!!"

Lina snorted.

"Besides" Gourry reasoned. "If Zel is right, then those bad guys will come looking for us if we stay here!" 

"And then they will come looking for us" he added, with a manic glint in his eye. "And then we can all smash them all into next week!"

Lina grinned. Well even that idea was through Gourry's blunt perspective, it certainly made Zelgadis' idea sound promising. 

Amelia got to her feet. "I'm all for Zelgadis' idea".

Lina grinned. Well, THAT shouldn't come as a surprise. 

The red-head sighed her defeat. Eventually she nodded her head in agreement. 

_But just you wait Zel_ she thought. _Next time we argue it'll be my turn to win!_

* * *

The rest of the night came and went. 

As the morning sun crept in, the stranger made her way downstairs. Still concealed under her heavy cowl, she felt quite refreshed following her sleep. Now that she was awake, how about some breakfast?!

The stranger made her way down to a table and, within moments, was approached by a young lad who introduced himself as Antonio and offered to take her order. Upon receiving the order, Antonio disappeared only to return some time later with the stranger's order.

The stranger tucked in heartily into her meal. After spending so much time on the road, this meal was delicious! It's been a long time since she's enjoyed food such as this!

And now that she thought about it, what was she going to do now? Continue on her empty journey? Continue her search for an empty destiny? Continue heading onward with her shattered concept of self-worth?

Man, that sounds like such a disastrous proposition.....

As the stranger pondered on this, her eyes wandered. Wandered into the other people in the dining area of this inn. Now that morning was in it's maturing stage, the inn was now filling up at quite a rapid pace: Many people were coming in, all looking for some breakfast. No one appeared to notice the stranger - But none of these villagers could escape the vigilance of her gaze. She could see everyone as they came in through the door.

Suddenly her eyes widened. She blinked in disbelief, wondering if her eyes were deceiving her. Could she really be seeing what she thought she was seeing?!

The stranger stared at four people that were coming in through the door. One was an exceptionally tall man whom sported a shock of long blond hair. One was a girl, probably somewhere in her mid-teens, whom was pale in face, bedraggled in appearance and rather.....erm.....well-endowed. And one was bedecked completely in beige and kept his facial features under a cowl. 

But it was not these three that the stranger was interested in. No way. It was the fourth person in the group. Long reddish orange hair. A black cape. Red eyes. And red leggings.

There was something about this red-head that the stranger found disturbingly familiar. 

The foursome found a table and sat down around it - all the while the stranger racked her brains as to where she had seen this red-head before.

Suddenly it occurred to her - whilst the stranger was checking out the red-head's figure!

Such exceptionally small breasts.....

In that instant, all the pieces fell into place. There was only one person who could have such exceptionally small breasts.....

.....as well as all the other stuff! It had to be! Lina Inverse! The dreaded bandit killer! She of enormous appetite and short temper! 

The stranger grinned a sadistic grin. Well, her patience has finally paid off: Lina Inverse had finally walked right into her grasp. Her long search was over. She has finally caught up to Lina Inverse - the very person whom wrecked her life! The very person who ran off destroying the stranger's self-purpose in life!

Just wait till she gets her alone - She will have her revenge!!

Yet while the stranger plotted to do away with Lina, she still kept a vigilant eye on the table and it's occupants. 

For a whole nothing happened. Each of the foursome sat around the table each tucking heartily into breakfast whilst being engaged in a tight conversation.

What were they saying? The stranger couldn't tell. They were well and truly out of earshot and the stranger had no experience in lip-reading. Oh what she would give to learn what they were saying! It would certainly explain where Lina had been and how she has changed since the last time they met! It would certainly give an chance to see how her enemy thinks and how to establish an edge over her.....

Eventually things began to happen. The figure in beige got to his feet and the girl also followed suite. Lina too got to her feet but, while the man in beige headed for the door, the red-head went with the girl, heading upstairs. Only the tall blond remained sitting at the table - he seemed quite content to continue sitting at the table and feeding his face.

But what the stranger saw was an opportunity. Lina was alone and away from her friends.

Well yes she was with that pale girl but she seemed hardly a threat.

Lina was pretty much alone. And there was no greater chance to exact revenge!!!!!

Without a further ado, the stranger sped off out of her chair and up the stairs. 

She sped off so fast, she left her cloak behind.....

* * *

Meanwhile, Lina was calmly directing Amelia to the bed. The princess wanted to go to bed - she said she wanted to catch up on some sleep following the hectic events of the night before. And besides, with her health continually worsening, she wasn't in any shape to be running around. 

The sorceress laid her unhealthy friend down on the silk sheets and headed for the door. Just before she left, she turned around and took one last look at her friend. Lina's expression then turned sad. Man, Amelia looked like hell. Whatever this curse was that was crippling her, it was certainly creating a destructive path of rampage. How much longer must she remain like this? How much more hell must she endure? 

"Hang in there kid" Lina said softly. "We'll find a cure. I just know it."

And with that, Lina turned around and opened the door. Following that she stepped out into the hallway.

And she was about to close the door after her when she heard a noise. 

A noise that was enough to stop her dead in her tracks. A noise that was enough to make one's blood turn to ice. A noise that could only exist in nightmares A noise that has been known to frighten even the most battle-hardened warrior. A noise that would make even a mazoku flee in terror. 

A noise that was disturbingly familiar.

A noise which Lina had hoped never to hear again.

"OH-HO-HO-HO-HO-HO-HO-HO-HO-HO!!!!!!!!!!"

* * *

Chapter 11  
Contents  



	14. Chapter 11 A Gathering of Pawns and Pla...

The Woodsman Part 12 The Woodsman  
Chapter 11  
A Gathering of Players and Pawns 

* * *

Lina's eyes widened and her jaw dropped. Absolute terror froze up her movements. No. It can't be. IT CAN'T BE!!!!!

Slowly, Lina turned alway from the door and towards the source of the noise.

And there, standing several feet away was Naga the serpent. Lina's former travelling companion, 'friend' and rival, in all her voluptuous glory. 

Lina's face grew into an expression of panic. It had certainly been a while.....

"......Naga?!?!?" Lina exclaimed. 

"Aha! Lina! I thought it was you!" Naga triumphantly declared. "Who else in this world could have such ridiculously small breasts?!?!?!" 

Normally, Lina would've toasted Naga with a fireball for such a comment. But not this time. Because Naga was someone she wasn't particularly keen on seeing again. 

How long had it been since they had last met? Four years? Five? No matter - In the time apart, Lina had changed. She had grown from a hyperactive, short-tempered, destructive teenager into a hyperactive, short-tempered, destructive young woman. 

However, it appears, that time has done nothing to Naga. Her appearance and behaviour seemed little different from the last time they parted. 

Lina took a step back from the door, her expression one of panic. No, she was certainly not pleased to see her 'friend' again. 

Partially due to the fact that the red-head knew exactly WHY they had parted company all that time ago.....

"...er....Naga" Lina stammered. "....Long time no see...."

"You've got that right!" Naga replied. "We still have some unfinished business left to discuss......"

Lina gulped. Ut-oh.....

_In a tavern somewhere, Lina and Naga were polishing off an enormous feast. Another evil gang of bandits had been defeated at their hand. And, having been handsomely paid for their efforts, they were now celebrating in the only way possible:_

With a whole heap of food!

Lina dabbed her mouth with her napkin, and cleared her throat.

"Eh?" Naga asked raising an eyebrow.

"Oh! Oh." Lina replied. "Nothing....."

Naga shrugged, before continuing with her meal. Lina however adopted a rather sly grin. Now is the time to put her plan in action. She had been planning this for so long. Consequently there was no time or room for error. Today is the day.....

Lina got to her feet and walked away from the table, heading for the tavern latrine...

Seconds later, the tavern owner strode over to the table. He slapped the bill right down in front of Naga.

Naga blinked at the bill and then up at the, rather burly, tavern owner. The owner glared at the sorceress, expecting money for the meal. 

Then it struck her: The last time she checked, Lina was the one who was holding all the money for destroying that bandit gang! 

Naga got to her feet and dashed towards the latrine, ignoring the shouts of the tavern owner. Dammit Lina! You wouldn't dare pull a stunt like that!

Naga threw open the door of the female latrine.....

Only to find it empty. Empty and with the window wide open....

Naga stared in disbelief. Lina! Damn you!

"Can't pay huh?" came an angry voice.

Naga turned around, only to come face to face with a rather furious tavern owner.

"Well...er..... you see" Naga said. "My friend has all the money.... and.... er.... she went to the latrine..... and..... um..... she's disappeared......" 

But the tavern owner wasn't listening.

"If you can't pay" he snarled. "Then it's the kitchen for you!!!"

Naga opened her mouth to protest - but it was too late. The tavern owner grabbed her arm in his, rather strong, hands and proceeded to drag her towards the kitchen.

Meanwhile, many miles above Lina ray-winged her way across the landscape. Success! She had finally got Naga out of her hair AND she got a huge bag of cash in the process.

"So long sucker!" Lina chuckled. "And good riddance!"

"DO YOU KNOW HOW LONG IT TOOK ME TO DO ALL THAT WASHING UP?!?!?" Naga shouted, quite furious. "Several months! Do you have any idea how long my wondrous beauty suffered?! And by that time, you had long gone! I've been searching for you for an incredibly long time! We still have this matter over the bill to....."

But Lina wasn't interested in hearing Naga's life story. In fact, her only concern was that Lina had spent a lot of time and effort to get this raven-haired sorceress out of her life. And, after three years out of her company, she wasn't about to turn around and go back! No way! 

"FIREBALL!" Lina shouted. 

With seconds, a jet of flame erupted from Lina's fingertips and burned through the air, heading for it's intended target: Naga! In such short range and the cramped conditions of a hallway, the sorceress had no chance of escape! The fireball struck Naga head on. The raven-haired sorceress let out a scream. A scream that was followed by the sound of splintering wood.

Lina paused to get her breath back. And when she looked again, Naga was gone. Where she once stood was now several burn marks left in the hallway and a rather large hole in the ceiling.

Lina sighed with relief. Well, that should be the last she should hear of Naga.

Hopefully. 

Suddenly, Gourry came running up.

"Lina!" he yelled. "What happened? I heard shouting!"

"Just some skeletons in the closet...." Lina grinned. 

* * *

Elsewhere, Zelgadis was making his way through the village of Dakeyras. He was exploring the place, eager to find a library, a wizard or something. Something that should give him a clue as to how he could find a cure. 

But his progress hadn't been successful. Being a small village, Dakeyras didn't have a library. Such a building would be most likely better off in a town or a city rather then a small village! 

Zel sighed. Yet another dead end.......

The chimera eventually left the village and headed out into the surrounding forests. He needed some time and space to think....

Well, it seems this village can't provide him with the answers he seeks. And the rate he's going, it would indeed become apparent that the prospect of a cure would remain out of his grasp for all eternity.....

"Damn you Rezo...." Zel cursed, as he had done many times before.

Zel wandered through the forest, deep in contemplation....

Suddenly the forest was rocked. Rocked by a huge noise. A huge noise that was enough to shake anything within a ten metre radius. A huge noise that was enough to disrupt the chimera's train of thought. 

Zel raised an eyebrow. What was that? That sounded exactly like something plummeting down to earth from a great height......

Then Zelgadis' ears caught something else. It sounded like a voice. A faint voice mumbling out the words: "Damn you Lina.....!"

Zel blinked. Lina? 

This mumble was followed by another voice: "Wanting to show up Lina Inverse? I can help you."

This second voice was enough to stop the chimera dead in his tracks. His expression hardened. That voice. He could recognise it a mile away! And without a further ado, Zel, moving as silently and stealthily as possible, headed off in the direction of these voices.

It didn't take him long to find what he was looking for. 

And when he did, Zel ducked behind a tree, watching events as they unfolded up ahead.

His suspicions were correct: The owner of the second voice was no other then Xelloss. Hate welled up inside Zel. What was he up to? Whenever he shows up, things have a terrible habit of getting out of control. And if he's offering someone assistance to get back at Lina, then this is serious.....

The Trickster Priest was talking to someone (whom Zel couldn't recognise) who was situated in a prostrate form. 

"Eh?" came the first voice. This first voice sounded kind of muffled - it was as if it was coming from under ground.

"I have a proposition for you...." Xel went on. "If you help me, I can do what ever I can to help you get back at Lina."

The prostrate form raised it's head - from out of the hole that was stuck in. It was then that Zel saw that this newcomer was a woman. A woman with raven-black hair and oddly familiar facial features. 

_Odd_ Zel thought. _She looks like an older version of Amelia....._

The woman glared suspiciously at the mazoku priest. Was this the type of person that could be trusted? He doesn't seem to be the reliable type.....

"How do you know Lina?" she growled.

"I am a friend of Lina's" the Trickster Priest explained. 'I have been around her in recent times. Therefore, I have information that you find interesting."

The woman paused - as if she was thinking this proposal over. Eventually she shrugged. 

"You've got a point there" she said. "If Lina has changed in the years apart, then perhaps I could do with your information."

"But wait" she went on. "What do you want me to do in return?"

"Exactly what I tell you" Xelloss replied in a very definite tone.

The woman snorted.

"It will involve trashing some bandits...." Xel added.

The woman shrugged again. "Oh well. If the information is worth it...."

"Oh, it is." Xelloss grinned. "So, do we have a deal?"

"You bet!"

And with that the woman stood up. 

And what greeted Zelgadis' sight nearly made him gasp in shock.

The woman was nothing short of voluptuous. She was quite well-endowed and wearing....erm..... not a lot. Apart from a cape and some black leather, this woman was wearing next to nothing!

Zel blinked. Jeez, if Xel wanted to assist someone like.....THAT then he must be planning something extraordinary. 

The woman thrust out her hand: "Call me Naga"

Her new business partner returned the hand shake: "Xelloss" he replied. 

"Pleased to meet you Xelloss" the woman named Naga said. "It should be a pleasure doing business with you!"

And with that, Naga threw back her head and let loose her signature laugh of confidence:

"OH-HO-HO-HO-HO-HO-HO-HO-HO-HO!!!!!!!!!!"

Grimacing, Xelloss opened up his eyes. As his lips formed into an awkward smile, he began contemplating on exactly what he'd gotten himself into.....

Xel wasn't the only one: Zelgadis was also bearing the full horror of Naga's laugh. The chimera was blinking disbelieving horror. Who was this woman? Who was this woman with the peculiar dress sense and the dreadful laugh? What on earth was Xelloss plotting? Was he really doing helping Lina and her friends as much as the red-head claimed? Or was that another one of his many lies and methods of manipulation?

And why on earth did this Naga woman remind him of Amelia?!

Silently Zel slunk away.

And when Naga and Xelloss had both disappeared form sight, Zel ran. Ran back to the village. Ran as fast as he could just so he could escape that horrendous laugh!!!!

* * *

_She could feel it again. Running through forest, all alone. Running, past all the trees in a blind flight. Running from nowhere, heading nowhere. _

And then she heard it. A swift piercing of the air, followed by the crack of metal splintering wood. This however was the first in a series. The cracks come one after the other, each splintering various logs into smaller pieces of wood.

She stopped running. She could feel fear infect every part of her body.

And then she saw him. A lone figure standing on top of a slope in the forest. A lone figure silhouetted against the sunlight that was filtering in through the trees. A lone figure whom wield his axe in chopping wood from various logs that lay at his feet.

Suddenly he stopped. He raised his head and stared at her. But he had no proper eyes: Instead he merely had a pair of opaque discs. Opaque discs that glared with the ferocious of red light. Opaque discs that glared at the princess.

But Amelia didn't run in fear. Nor did she scream. Instead, she slowly made her way towards the woodsman. She approached the woodsman even when fear was coursing throughout her body. 

Amelia stopped a short distance away from her target. But the target didn't really pay much attention to the princess. Instead he continued on with his work. 

"Who are you?" Amelia inquired.

The woodsman didn't answer. He seemed completely oblivious to the princess and would not allow her to distract him from his work. And even at this distance, his features were still silhouetted by the light that was streaming in through the trees. Even at this distance it was impossible to determine as to what he looked like.

But even though Amelia was afraid of this figure, she didn't run.

"Why are you invading my dreams?" she asked.

Upon hearing this, the woodsman finally stopped his work. He then looked up at the princess, allowing his penetrating 'gaze' to burn it's way into her.

It was then that the woodsman spoke for the first time - in a voice that was sinister, warm, sophisticated and sharp as a razor - all at the same time.

"Because I own you." 

Amelia blinked.

"What? What do you mean by that?"

"Don't you get it?" the woodsman said. "You think your failing health is just some common sickness. You think your failing health is from that incident at Diol's tower."

"It was, wasn't it?"

"No" the woodsman replied, his voice now sounding somewhat triumphant. "Diol only gave me a foothold. What you don't realise is that as your health fails, the curse grows stronger. My grip on you is nearing completion. Soon you will be under my control, a powerless puppet to my bidding."

It was then that Amelia awoke with a scream.

Her eyes shot open as she screamed her lungs out, the horror of the nightmare, and the message it contained, being too much to bear. 

Eventually she fell silent. Slowly she sat up on the bed, nursing her temples. 

The dream had come yet again. But this time it was different: this time, she received a rather disturbing message from the occupant that was haunting her dreams. A message, even though it came from a dream, that was enough to ignite paranoia and dread. 

If what the woodsman told her was true, then it seemed rather obvious that she was being threatened. Threatened by an evil force who has been watching her every move from the very beginning. Threatened by an evil force who wanted to manipulate her for their own evil ends and demented schemes. 

But why? What did this evil force want from her? Why were they threatening her, a princess of the people and a Champion of Justice? This wasn't making any sense....

Just then there was a knock at the door. 

"Come in!" Amelia called. 

The door opened and in walked in someone whom Amelia had never seen before. 

He was a rather handsome young man, sporting a well groomed appearance and, oddly enough, a pair of crudely constructed spectacles. The spectacles, if they could really be called that, were nothing more then two lenses held together by a weathered scrap of wood and two nails. 

This newcomer bore a tray containing a hot chocolate and a warm smile.

"Hello there!" the newcomer greeted. "Thought you might like a hot chocolate."

Amelia blinked. "Do I know you?"

"Oh!" the young man chuckled. "Allow me to introduce myself. I'm Kurt. I work here at this tavern. We heard how your health has been failing so we decided to help."

"Oh, why thank you!" Amelia beamed. She took the hot chocolate and began sipping it.

"How are you feeling now?" the man named Kurt asked. "Feeling any better?"

"Not really" Amelia sighed. "In fact....."

All of sudden, her speech was interrupted by a series of spluttering coughs. 

Kurt smiled sadly. "That bad huh?"

Amelia nodded. "Yeah, you could say that. In fact it's getting worse."

Kurt rubbed his chin thoughtfully. 

"You know...." he said "I think I might have a solution....."

Amelia raised an eyebrow. "You do?"

Kurt grinned. "I do know of a solution. I can tell you what to do....."

"You do?" Amelia cried excitedly. "Please tell me what to do and I'll do it!"

"That I will" Kurt grinned. "However.....there is something I want you to do."

Amelia blinked. She wasn't liking the direction this conversation was taking..... 

"And that would be?" she asked. 

"Not to mention this to any of your friends. Not Lina, Gourry nor Zelgadis."

Amelia was indeed taken aback by this. What? He was offering a cure for her failing health and yet he demands that she keep it to herself? What does this guy know? Can this guy even be trusted?

And how did he know the names of her friends anyway?

But still, she nodded her consent. If this guy had a cure, then the opportunity was too good to miss. 

Kurt grinned as he began to tell Amelia what he had in mind.....

* * *

Time passed on, allowing the day to fall into evening. And as the sun was creeping back behind the mountains, a wagon was making it's way down the dirt road towards Dakeyras. A mule-drawn wagon driven by an ominous figure completely concealed by a robe and hood. Yet, while the wagon was carrying heap of straw, it was also carrying an extra passenger. An extra passenger also wearing a robe and hood. 

Sylphiel Nels Rahda pulled down the hood of her travelling robe and drew a breath of the evening air. She still couldn't believe her luck: How fortunate she was to discover this wagon! How fortunate she was that the driver allowed her a lift! And how fortunate she was when the driver was heading towards this village! Here she could continue her search for Lina and Amelia! 

Her search hadn't yielded much in the way of success. She had spent the last few days on the road, going from one village to the next, dropping into tavern after tavern, asking people whether they had seen Lina or her travelling companions. Of course, of all the times she was given information, it only led her to back on the road. 

Oh well. Maybe she might have better luck this time.....

Hopefully.

By now the wagon had reached the outskirts of Dakeyras. The driver coughed.

"Can I drop you off here?" the driver asked, in a voice that revealed the driver's femininity.

Syl blinked. Now that she thought about it, the driver hadn't shown her face since they met. All her features were completely concealed under the hood. In fact the only evidence Syl had that the driver was female was the voice.

But still the priestess shrugged. 

"Yes!" she grinned. "This would do nicely. Thank you."

And with that Syl leapt down from the wagon. Then she began heading off into Dakeyras. 

She hadn't gone far from the wagon when she heard a voice. 

"Alana! It's good to see that you've made it here at last!"

Curiosity provoked Syl to turn around. She saw a handsome young man, wearing spectacles made from two pieces of lenses held together by a rotting piece of wood, make his way up to the wagon. This young man then started speaking with the driver.

"So" the driver said. "Is everything set in place?"

"Oh yes!" the young man replied happily. "The puppet is in our grasp."

Sylphiel blinked. Puppet?

"She's here isn't she?" the driver inquired.

"Oh but of course!" the young man laughed. "Right here, and just in time for the rebirth!"

"Marvellous" the driver chuckled. 

Suddenly, both the driver and the young man looked up and caught sight of Syl. The priestess was only standing a fair distance away but she was still in a position were she could hear every word. Both glared angrily at the eavesdropper. 

Sylphiel, recognising danger when she saw it, turned tail and ran. Ran away from these peculiar folk. Ran away from their bizarre talk. Ran away from whatever hideous scheme they were plotting. 

But as she ran, her mind assessed these newly acquired, if unsettling, facts:

Puppet? They must've been talking about Amelia. And if what they said was correct, then Amelia must be here in this village! 

But what's all this about a rebirth?!

* * *

Chapter 12  
Contents  



	15. Chapter 12 House of the Damned

The Woodsman  
Chapter 12  
The House of the Damned 

* * *

**Spike's Interlude:** Yes, this is THE next chapter of _The Woodsman_. Yesterday, due to large amounts of stress, I uploaded Chapter Twelve of _Crimson Moon_ by mistake.  
This problem has now been fixed and the correct chapter has now uploaded.  
Apologies for any inconvenience and confusion caused by this mishap.

* * *

Night time had once again descended upon Dakeyras.

In this cover of darkness, in the many shadows, in the many darkened areas of the village, an evil force was brooding. Now that the sun had disappeared and been replaced with the shade of night, the village had now turned into the perfect setting. A perfect setting for a sinister evil to go about it's plans without any interference. A perfect setting for an evil force to make the village it's playground.

An evil force that was growing.....

The villagers had all retreated to their homes. Yet this retreat did not just come about from weariness brought upon from the day's activities. Nor was it just to escape the chill of the night air. 

No, this retreat had only come through paranoia. The murderer whom had been threatening this village had not been forgotten. The threat of losing one's life was still a hideous probability as it had ever been. Hence the villagers, acting upon their own fears, had all fled to the safety of their houses. Nobody was courageous enough to take a step outside: Doing so would mean a death most ghastly.

But the villagers needn't have worried. There was no reason to be afraid. There was no murderer out tonight. There was no homicidal lunatic out stalking the darkened, empty streets of Dakeyras.

Instead, there were many shapes.

Many shapes - all of which being humanoid. All of these shapes moved with the quickest of movements and without pauses. All of these shapes kept in the cover of shadows. All of these shapes, whilst being humanoid, revealed the outline of a hood and robe....

All of these shapes were moving through the village.

To a certain house.

A certain house that stood on the outskirts of the village. A certain house that stood on it's own, a short distance away from the other buildings. A certain house that radiated with a sense of individuality from the other buildings that made up Dakeyras. 

And it was this house that the hooded shapes were all heading for.....

One marched up to the front door. Pausing, the hooded form looked around. After making sure he truly was alone, he knocked on the door. Following that, he whispered a secret, forbidden word. Once he'd done that, the door was opened and the hooded form entered the world that lay within the walls of this house.....

Inside, a sea of these hooded forms gathered. Now that they were in light, they could be seen for what they truly were: They were human in form but each of their features were concealed by a magenta, hooded robe. Such a robe revealed nothing of the wearer's identity. These people were all members of a cult: A group of people made up from various people who called Dakeyras home. A group of people who had formed such a gathering underneath the nose of the village authorities. A group of people who were all planning something rather sinister......

Suddenly the room was rocked by the sound of a huge gong. At once, all the cultists ceased all sorts of chatter and fell into silence. A door on the far side of the room opened.

And in marched another member of the cult: He too was bedecked in a purple robe. But, unlike the others, he had his hood pulled down, revealing his face. But what a face! It was no face of a human being. Instead of flesh and blood, this newcomer had a bare skull! A bare skull stripped of all flesh! Even as this newcomer bore a horrific appearance, he still radiated with a sense of command. This was, without any a shadow of a doubt, the leader of the cult himself. 

In his hands, he presented a basket full of disembodied body parts.

"Bretheren" the cult leader said in voice that was nothing more than a raspy whisper. A raspy whisper that was drier than a desert in the summer and it sounded as if the he had difficulty speaking - as if he had not spoken in a hundred years.

"Bretheren, the time of rebirth draws near!"

"Tonight is the night, that our great lord shall return to earth, to walk among us! The task of acquiring twelve souls necessary to seal the bargain has been achieved! And these souls shall make the sacrifice a reality! And our great lord will walk again, crushing all that dare stand before him! He will make the world a place of beauty and wonder! And we shall be the first chosen in this newly created utopia! 

"Yes, tonight is the night! For the chosen one approaches even as I speak...."

* * *

Elsewhere, all around the village of Dakeyras, all was quiet. All the residents had gone to sleep, leaving Dakeyras silent enough to hear a pin drop.

Well, nearly all of the residents.

Zelgadis was brooding in his room, pondering on the day's events. Pondering on that conversation he had witnessed between Xelloss and that woman.....

Who was that woman? She seemed vaguely familiar....

The chimera racked his brains, trying to seek answers.....

In his time spent travelling with Lina, he could recall her saying very little of her past. Yet she said she used to be friends with a woman called Naga. Yet this Naga woman proved to be just as enigmatic and mysterious as Lina's past. What information Zel had of Lina's former travelling companion were only scraps of rumours. He couldn't be sure whether this information was fact or fiction. But what he did know was Naga was exceptionally tall, had a disposition made from greed and arrogance and an irritating laugh. 

Well, if that mysterious woman was indeed Naga then that would certainly explain her dreadful laugh.....

Then Zel was struck by another thought: Amelia had mentioned various details about her long-lost sister Gracia. Although Amelia's memories of Gracia were hazy to say the least, she recalled enough of Gracia to say that she was of rather tall stature and had quite a loud, if frightening, laugh....

Zel blinked, as all the pieces fell into place: Could this Naga actually be Gracia.....?

That was a possibility. It would certainly explain why this Naga bore facial features reminiscent of Amelia.

And weirder things certainly have happened....

But even if Naga was Gracia that doesn't explain as to why Xelloss would want anything to do with Lina's former friend.....

Was this all part of Zelas' plan as well? Or was it part of Xelloss' intricate plans?

Dammit, what on earth was that blasted mazoku planning?

In any case, when it comes to Xelloss it's neither black or white, only shades of grey.

Wait.

Hold on.

What was that?

Zelgadis' ears pricked up at the sound of a noise. 

A noise that came from the room that was right next door to his. 

A noise that sounded like someone opening a door and heading out into the hallway. 

Zel launched himself into action. That sound came right from Amelia's room!

He made his way over to the door and flung it open.....

Only to see a hooded figure disappear around the corner and out of sight.

Odd. Was that really Amelia? Why would she run off like that? Why would she run off like that in the middle of the night? And why would she run off like that without telling anyone else? 

Does she know something no one else doesn't? 

Zel made his way down the hallway. If his suspicions are correct, then he is caught right in the middle of something big. Something big that's taking place right in the middle of this village. Something big that can't be good.....

It seems that Dakeyras, like Xelloss and Naga, has it's own secrets hidden from all else.

In any case, if Zel is being led towards trouble, he needs to find some help.

And there was only one other person who'd probably be still awake at this hour.....

* * *

"This had better be good" Gourry said. "Good enough to drag me away from my meal!"

"Oh come on" Zel replied in hushed tones. "Those were just leftovers."

"Yes, but it's still food!" Gourry argued. "I don't want to leave any unfinished meals unfinished! 

"Look we don't have time for this." Zel retorted. "This is not the time for arguing! We've got more important things to worry about....." 

They both made their way through the darkened streets of Dakeyras, following the shape that, according to Zelgadis' claims, was Amelia. They kept their movements confined to the safety of the shadows, not wanting to get caught. Not wanting to get spotted. Not wanting to be seen..... 

Not before they work what their quarry was up to at least. 

"Are you sure that's Amelia?" Gourry whispered.

"Yes" Zel answered. "I'm certain of it!"

"What's she doing still awake?" the swordsman inquired. "And where's she going?"

"That's exactly what I would like to know...." the chimera growled. 

"Why don't we ask her?" Gourry grinned. 

"HEY AME...." Gourry began - before being cut off as Zel put his hand around the swordsman's mouth.

"Gourry, are you insane?!" Zelgadis snarled. "Are you trying to blow our cover?!?"

"....Err.....Yes?" Gourry said, his voice muffled through Zelgadis' hand. "You did want to know why Amelia is heading off this way right?!"

The chimera sighed. 

Meanwhile up ahead, Amelia was moving on, heading for a certain house. A certain house lying on the outskirts of town. A certain house that Kurt directed her to. A certain house where, according to the enigmatic young man, would provide a cure for her condition.

However there was, as is always the case when dealing with dealings such as that, strings attached: Amelia, under no circumstances was to tell any of her friends about this revelation. And she was to come alone and not to ask any questions about this unusual discovery. 

With such conditions, it was with little surprise that Amelia was consumed with doubts.

Who was this Kurt? Why did he suddenly show up with the prospects for a cure? And how the Hell did he know about her ill-health? Could he be trusted? He didn't seem the warm, friendly and trustworthy type. In fact, despite his charming demeanour, he seemed somewhat.....

...peculiar.

Peculiar in his appearance: While he sported a well-groomed and indeed sophisticated appearance, it was directly contrasted by the oddity that was his spectacles: They were like nothing Amelia had seen before! Hell, they weren't even called spectacles! They were just two circular lenses held together by two nails driven in through a weather-beaten, rotting scrap of wood! 

Equally peculiar was how he showed up right at the exact time when she was struck by her recurring nightmare was his offer. And how he unexpectedly offered help right when she needed it. He knew how Amelia could find a cure to her condition. But, in order to obtain this fabled cure, all she had to do was turn up at a certain house. At midnight and by herself. 

Consequently, Amelia found herself pondering on what she had gotten herself into. Indeed, she felt terrible that she had to move off, into such a seedy situation without telling anybody else. It wasn't like her to be doing dealings with such characters of suspicious motivation and the type who show up out of nowhere seeming to know everything about her. It wasn't like her to turn away from her friends like that. 

But in any case, the ends always justifies the means. If this little scam involved a cure then this is one opportunity she didn't want to miss. 

And besides, this was her fight. And one she would have to do alone. One she would have to do without the power of Lina's spell-casting ability, the skill of Gourry's swordplay and Zelgadis' exceptional fighting skills. 

This was the only opportunity, so far, to get her hands on a cure. And it was as good as any other. And as it's her choice, she will see this through on her own. 

By this time Amelia had finally reached the house. And there it was: It stood on it's own, at the very edge of the town. Considering it was a fair distance away from the rest of Dakeyras, it certainly radiated with suspicion. And it certainly looked conspicuous enough.....

But if it did promise a cure, then this place is as good as any other....

Amelia shrugged and made her way up to the front door. She knocked three times, just as Kurt instructed her to, upon it's weather-beaten surface. 

For a while nothing happened. 

Then the door slowly opened. Light spilled in from the house itself onto the hooded princess. Amelia blinked and squinted at the light, as her eyes adjusted to this change in situation. Eventually, she could make out the world that offered itself on the other side of the door. 

Somebody, whether it was a man or a woman Amelia couldn't tell, stood before the princess with their features completely concealed by a magenta robe. Yet this did nothing to reassure Amelia that was doing the right thing.

"Welcome" a voice from the robe said. "We've been expecting you."

"Err.....thanks" Amelia said, now growing more suspicious with each passing moment.

Amelia was allowed to step inside....

....wherein she was confronted with a scene that defied all meaning of sanity. 

There, standing before her was a whole group of people - each with their features hidden by the distinctive magenta robe. They were all gathered in this room which was lit by a whole lot of candles. They were all gathered in two rows, in a fashion that made a walkway. They had all gathered at the foot of a staircase. A staircase that led up a sphere of blue blazing light. A sphere of blue blazing light that was held in place by a plinth made from the blackest of iron. 

Needless to say, Amelia was more suspicious than ever. What had she gotten herself into here? These people certainly don't look like the friendly type! 

Better get out of here! And quick!

Amelia donned an embarrassed expression.

".....Ah....I'm sorry there must be some sort of mistake here.....I must be in the wrong house"

"Oh no you're not" said the hooded figure, who let Amelia in. "We know you've come in search for a cure. And we are here to offer it to you." 

Amelia blinked. That was hardly reassuring.....

Well from the looks of it, it would be fair to say that she's encountered yet another goon squad. Man, it would appear that she has a terrible habit of running into idiots of this calibre.....

Oh well, no one said the life of a Champion of Justice would be easy.

"Oh yeah?" she said, her voice reeking with suspicion. "And where pray tell is this cure?!"

"It is waiting for you at the top of the staircase." Said the hooded figure, raising a hand and gesturing towards the sphere. 

"You call that a cure?!?" the princess yelled. "That doesn't look like anything a cure!?"

The hooded figure, slapped it's forehead. Man, Kurt said this fool would be persuaded! He didn't say anything about her being a sceptic! 

"See that sphere?!" the hooded figure said in exasperation. "Your cure is inside!"

Amelia sighed. It seems that she's truly stepped into the hands of some cult. What's worse still is that this cult seemed unlikely to provide a cure. Immediately, Amelia's high hopes came tumbling down with a tremendous crash. It would appear she was right to doubt the enigmatic Kurt....

Oh well, might as well play along. What choice did she have? She was trapped in a room with a bunch of cultists. Who knows what they might do if she refused? Besides she can't take this lot on by herself!

Sighing Amelia began marching towards the plinth. She made her way slowly through the walkway made up of the rows of cultists and ascended the stairs. Even as she did so, she could still feel a sense of doubt. What was she doing here, being an unwilling co-conspirator to some cult whilst no-one else knew where she was? Was she doing the right thing here? Was she just a pawn in a sinister plot? There was no way she could back out this is there? 

Dammit, where were Lina, Gourry and Zelgadis when she needed them?!

By now, Amelia had finally made it to the top of the staircase. She now found herself staring into the extraordinary blue light that radiated from the sphere. Even now Amelia wondered if there still was any way to escape this situation.....

She reached out to touch it....

Then all of a sudden she found herself being pulled into the sphere! Some force that was residing in the sphere had somehow got a hold of her and was pulling her into the depths of the sphere! She tried to break free but to no avail! She found herself being pulled into the sphere, against her will! And no amount of struggling would change that! 

It didn't take long before she was pulled into the sphere completely....

Suddenly the sphere glowed with blue light. Now that the sphere had the princess in it's possession, things started to happen: The sphere began to move. It rumbled and shook, growing more and more unstable with each passing second! Within moments, the sphere sent lightning bolts across the room and shook from the confines of the iron plinth.

All of a sudden, without warning, the sphere exploded! Exploded into dust! Exploded into a cloud of blue smoke! Exploded with a sinister, bestial roar....

Down below, the leader of the cult pulled down his hood - to reveal a sinister grinning skull. A skull that grinned with the sense of pure victory. 

"Bretheren" the necromancer known as Adolphus said with absolute triumph. "We have succeeded. The great lord has arrived. The time of rebirth is now...."


	16. Chapter 13 The Resurrection of an Ancie...

The Woodsman Part 13 The Woodsman  
Chapter 14  
A Ressurrection of an Ancient Evil 

* * *

On the other side of the door, away from the mayhem of the cult's world, two interlopers were preparing to take action. These two interlopers had managed to trace a path to this house and were now ready to expose the horrors that hid themselves away from the eyes of normality. But now, as they were seconds away from entering the house, they were suddenly confronted with a huge noise. A noise that screamed it's way to reverberate the house completely. A noise that screamed it's way from the depths of the house, and through any holes that connected the inside of the house to the outside world. A noise that screamed it's way through the chimney as well as any open doors and windows. 

A noise that was enough to create doubts for the two friends. 

"What the hell was that?" Gourry asked, in astonishment. 

"I don't know...." Zel replied, his eyes widened.

"You... you don't suppose......" Gourry asked, his voice suddenly tinged with fear. 

"What?"

"You...don't suppose that's the type of noise a mazoku would make?" Gourry said. "A mazoku of the very angry kind....?"

Zel paused, blinking at Gourry's suggestion. This was a disturbing theory. What would a mazoku be doing in here in a village such as Dakeyras? How would it get here? And what part did Amelia play in all of this? 

But such questions only added to Zel's curiosity as to find out what is taking place within the walls of this house!

"What on earth is going on in there?" He said eventually.

"I don't know" Gourry replied. "But I'm not really keen to find out what!"

And with that, Gourry suddenly turned around and began running away from the house!

But he didn't get far: Zel acted quickly and grabbed the swordsman by his tunic. This naturally brought Gourry's flight to an end just as soon as it began. 

"Gourry!" Zel exclaimed - still able to establish order and control - even in a crisis situation such as this. "This is no time for games! Something is going on that house and I want to know what!"

"Then you do it yourself!" Gourry retorted. "There's no way you're getting me in there!"

Zel sighed. This was great. Just great. If there was something sinister taking place within those walls, and if it also involved Amelia, then he would certainly need Gourry's help. Besides, if the chimera succeeding in dragging the swordsman away from his meal, then now is not the time to turn around and give up! 

But Gourry wasn't making this easier with his uncooperative behaviour.

Oh well. Looks like he would have to do this the hard way.....

Suddenly, without warning, Zelgadis summoned all of his strength and hurled the swordsman right into the doorway! The startled blond came crashing through the wooden beams that made up the door. But now that the door had fallen, the world that hid behind it was now exposed for all the world to see.

But Gourry had not time to see any of this! He continued sailing through the air - before slamming right into a solid wall that stood some feet away from the doorway! The swordsman, now with no chance of escaping this disastrous collision course, hit the wall with a tremendous thud. 

Head first.

And then, nothing happened. Gourry paused, allowing his head to absorb the effects of such a horrendous collision. Then, his body slowly collapsed onto the floor.....

Dazed and now nursing the mother of all headaches, Gourry managed to look up.

And he saw the chimera standing over him bearing a concerned expression.

"Are you all right?" Zel inquired.

"Oh man" Gourry moaned. "Oh my head!"

"Look on the bright side." Zel said. "I got you in here." 

Gourry blinked, thinking this out. It didn't take him long to reach realisation that Zelgadis was right. 

Gourry's brain then went into top gear. Although it was too small to completely comprehend the situation, it could identify that now was the time for action. And in that instant, Gourry forgot all about his daze. And in that instant Gourry forgot all about his headache from flying through a door and into a wall. And in that instant Gourry also forgot his concern about whether or not there actually was a mazoku in the house. 

What mattered was the present time was a time that demanded action. And that was something he did best. 

Gourry got to his feet and drew his sword with dramatic flourish. Zel did likewise. The two friends gripped their blades, ready to deal with the horrors that resided in this house. The two adventurers were both standing in a room lit by many candles. Many candles that revealed to the two men that they were both being confronted by a large group of people. A large group of people with their features concealed by magenta robes and grotesque masks. A large group of people who stood at the foot of a staircase. A staircase that possessed, at it's top, a large blue sphere that was held in place by a plinth made from the blackest of iron. Yet this blue sphere was far from stable: It was shaking with tremendous power. It had lightning bolts of pure energy cruise across it's surface. It had a colouring made up of the most ferocious of blue. 

Zelgadis' expression hardened, at the sight of the sphere. Even Gourry, as dim-witted as he was, blinked. Both could see that the sphere was mere moments from exploding: Yes from the look of it, the sphere was holding tremendous power. Power that it had no hope of containing. 

It was left to the imagine as to what the hell these cultists had done.....

Just then, the cult leader stepped from the group and approached the two intruders, his hood lowered and revealing a grinning skull. A pair of shrivelled hands merged from the depths of the robe. With such features, the cult leaders true form didn't take much thinking to deduce: This man was a liche. A practitioner in the art of necromancy yet powerful enough to defy the laws of death and return to the world of the living. But neither did Zel and Gourry lower their guard. They weren't perturbed by the sinister visage that advanced before them. Hell, who cares about the appearance of this nutter? What matters is that he's just another evil scumbag! And they are all follow the similar motivation anyway!

Whether they be living or dead!

"Welcome!" said the cult leader, in a tone of voice that was drier then a desert. "So good of you to drop in!"

But Zel wasn't having any time for pleasantries such as this! Instead he grabbed the cult leader by the front of his robe. The cultist gasped, shocked at the rough treatment of their leader. But they didn't move: For Gourry moved towards them, keeping them in check with his sword and a steely gaze, daring any of the cultists to step forward.

"What's going on here?" Zel demanded. "Where's Amelia?"

"The Great Lord is mere moments from arriving" the cult leader replied. "It is through the work of myself, Adolphus and my loyal followers!"

"What do you mean?"

"Tonight." The cult leader named Adolphus explained. "Is the night that the great Damenamecus will return to walk among us! The pact of twelve cadavers has been sealed so our great lord shall return and grant us power with his extensive knowledge!"

Zel blinked as his brain received these revelations. All the pieces of the puzzle now fell into place. The danger of the murderer that was threatening Dakeyras had now come to light. 

"So you were all the one's who murdered those people!" the chimera snarled. 

"Exactly" Adolphus grinned in triumph. "This tiny village was the perfect cover! No one would ever suspect a cult of operating in such a insignificant part of the world! And had we been operating in a larger city, we would've surely brought forth the attention of high authority and mercenaries!" 

Zel growled. He wasn't liking the sounds of this at all. His eye travelled to the blue sphere. Now it was shaking more and more violently. It seems the power it was containing was mere moments from breaking loose. 

Zelgadis blinked. Is this blue sphere the place where this Damenamecus will emerge....?

Damenamecus.... Odd. Hasn't he heard that name somewhere before.....?

Hold on. Where's Amelia?

Adolphus caught Zelgadis expression and guessed exactly what the chimera was thinking.

"If you're looking for your friend" the liche grinned. "She's in the sphere."

"WHAT?!?!" Zel bellowed.

"Oh did I forget to mention that?" Adolphus grinned in triumph. "In order to cremate the pact, we needed a host body and......."

"BASTARD!!!!!" Zel roared. And with one giant stroke of his sword, Zel decapitated the liche with great ease. Adolphus' skull, now free from the rest of it's body, sailed through the air before coming down some feet away. And with no source of magic left to support it, the body crumbled to dust. Within seconds only a magenta robe was all that remained of the great liche Adolphus.

The cultist all gasped at the loss of their leader. Suddenly their eyes all turned angry. They all began glaring at the two intruders. Glaring with eyes filled with accusation and hatred.

"Uh Zel...." Gourry said. "They're looking kind of ugly!"

"Well Gourry" Zel replied. "In that case, I guess we fight...."

The two adventurers gripped their weapons, whilst the cultists reached into their robes and pulled out various daggers, sword a clubs. The scene was set for a mighty clash.

And it would've been a mighty clash indeed

Had it not been for the huge explosion.

A huge explosion that claimed the giant blue sphere. 

The power that the blue sphere was containing had finally broken free from it's restraints. This power had reduced the sphere to shards of glass. This power was now thundering down the stone staircase, enlightening every portion of the house with it's touch. 

It didn't take long for Zel and Gourry to come to realisation of the threat this rampant power posed. They backed away, back towards the front door of the house. Fortunately for them, the cultists didn't provide much more of a threat to the intruders. Instead, the cultists were now all focusing on the attention on the blue power that was sweeping before them! 

"The great Lord Damenamecus now comes!" one cultist shouted.

And upon hearing this, the cultists all began cheering as they raised their arms, ready to receive the great knowledge that was promised to them.....

The cultists were engulfed by the great power.....

....And seconds later, the house exploded.

* * *

Meanwhile, away from the scenes of chaos that made themselves in that house, a certain red-haded sorceress was making her way through the silent tavern.

Lina Inverse yawned as she shuffled into the dining room of the tavern. Her eyes looking for Gourry. Funny, he should be here. She was certain that he was down here finishing off some leftovers....

And she was fairly certain that she didn't hear him come upstairs. 

And she was equally certain that she heard other footsteps in the hallway. Footsteps that wouldn't have possible belonged to a some of Gourry's tall stature. 

Curiosity prolonged the sorceress to forget her sleep and investigate. 

Well here she was in the dining room, yet Gourry was nowhere to be seen. What's even more disturbing was that he left the remains of his meal behind!

This wasn't like Gourry. Knowing the swordsman he wouldn't go off and leave a meal unfinished like this! Something must be wrong for this to happen. Something very wrong.

But Lina didn't head off right away. No, she can't face hideous dangers and risk her life when there's still food left uneaten! 

So instead of running off after the swordsman, Lina sat down and began finishing off the rest of Gourry's leftovers!

Suddenly the front door of the tavern was flung open and someone rushed in. 

Lina looked up at this newcomer....

And in that instant she forgot all about her meal. This newcomer was someone wearing a huge cloak. Someone who carried a sense of emergency. Someone with distinctive facial features. Someone whom Lina knew very well. 

"Sylphiel!" Lina cried. 

The shrine maiden turned around at the call of her name. When she saw that this person was Lina, she smiled with relief. At long last, she's finally found Lina! At long last her long search is at an end!

"Lina!" Syl cried. "Lina Inverse!"

And with that, Syl came running over to Lina's table.

"Hey there!" Lina grinned. "How are you? What are you doing here?"

"I've been looking for you!" Syl replied. 

Upon hearing this, Lina's grin fell. She wasn't liking Sylphiel's choice of words. Does this mean that the authorities have finally caught up to them.....?

Syl caught Lina's expression.

"I've been sent by the orders of Crown Prince Philionel. He knows very well that his daughter is under the control of a possession spell. Therefore, he sent me to make sure the spell is broken and Amelia is returned to normal."

Lina blinked. Well, at least she knows now that Syl isn't in cohorts with any bounty hunters!

"Wow Syl" Lina said. "You went looking for us even after that fracas at Martina's party?"

Syl sighed, thinking back to the rapid Amelia. 

"Oh of course not!" she replied. "I know what happened and it wasn't your fault!"

Lina blinked again. "Oh?"

Syl nodded. "Amelia was possessed! It wasn't her fault! Why, I bet she's feeling really sorry for herself over this disaster - which is why I'm here."

Lina paused, thinking these words through.

This was unusual. Syl was attacked and yet she acts in such a calm manner towards it? More so when she goes after the person that attacks her?! An act like that would certainly require a lot of courage - something which Syl didn't really have a lot of.

But knowing what she's been through since they first met, Syl was certainly come along way. A long way from a shy priestess to a young woman whose seen many wonders. 

It's fair to say that Sylphiel has certainly grown up.....

"Wait a minute." Sylphiel asked. "Where's Amelia? And where's Gourry and Zelgadis?"

"I don't know" Lina began....

Before being cut off by a enormous explosion.

* * *

Elsewhere, in the forest that surrounded Dakeyras, Xelloss' face hardened. He could feel it - a disruption in the mazoku plane. Such a disruption could mean only one thing: Damenamecus had returned to earth. Returned to earth to destroy in it's path.

Xelloss mentally cursed. Dammit! Damenamecus has returned and where he was - unable to prevent it from happening! How could he not see it? How could he be so blind? How could he be so incompetent?! If Damenamecus has truly returned then could only mean one thing: His mission has ended in failure. 

He shuddered thinking how he would suffer Zelas' wrath....

"So" said a familiar voice. "Where are these bandits you were telling me about?"

Xel turned to face Naga. The raven-haired sorceress stared at him with an expression of inquisition and annoyance. She was promised huge amounts of treasure if she agreed to help the Trickster - but since then she hasn't seen a single coin! This was completely unacceptable!

"That's a secret!" Xelloss grinned, waggling his finger.

Naga gasped in exasperation - before opening her mouth to unleash a barrage of cursing.

But Xelloss ignored her. He had much more important details to worry about- paramount among them was how to deal with a recently raised greater mazoku.....

Then it hit him! If Damenamecus is up and about then that must mean the ritual of the cult must have succeeded! And if he's lucky enough he might catch the ringleaders of the cult! And if he does he might just escape Zelas wrath.....

And as for Damenamecus, he might as well leave Lina to deal with that. Hey, nothing has any hope of standing in her way!

And with that, Xelloss got to his feet and started heading towards the village. 

"Hey!" Naga yelled. "Where do you think you're going?!"

"We're going to go after some people!" Xelloss replied, still with his back to Naga and still moving onward. "Some people I've been ordered to kill!"

Naga blinked. What was with this guy? He was certainly full of surprises that's for sure. But was he one to be trusted? How did he know Lina? Why did he want to form a partnership? Did he even want to help her show Lina up? And did he have any intention of keeping this promise? 

And why on earth did he answer every one of her questions with: 'That's a secret!'?

"People?!" Naga shouted, heading off after the Trickster. "What people?!"

"That's secret!"

And with that, Xel broke into a run, an amused grin across his face. Naga growled with fury before taking up pursuit. 

"That's what you've been telling me all along!!!!!!!"

* * *

Chapter 14  
Contents  



	17. Chapter 14 Metamorphosis

The Woodsman Part 14 The Woodsman  
Chapter 14  
Metamorphosis 

* * *

_I can't breathe....._

I can't speak....

I can't touch....

I can't walk.....

I can't do anything.

Anything at all.

I can't escape this feeling.

I can't escape this feeling of confinement. 

I can't escape this feeling where I cannot do a single thing.

I can't escape this feeling of displacement.

But I can feel myself.

I can feel myself.....

...changing.....

It's like my body is warping.

Mutating.

Disfiguring.

It is like every square inch of my body is being infected with a crippling disease.

It is like something is swallowing me up very slowly.

It is like I'm being sucked into a vacuum of change.

It's like I'm being consumed by an immense power. 

I open my mouth but no scream comes forth.

* * *

Consciousness came drifting back into Zelgadis' mind. Although he was covered with bruises, bruises that even the protection of his stone skin couldn't withstand, his mind was dazed and his mouth was filled with dust and dirt, he could still receive signs of function within every portion of his body.

Dust? Dirt?

Slowly, Zel raised his head, out of the rubble beneath him. What the hell.....?

He raised his head to survey these new surroundings. And to search for answers....

The scene that greeted the chimera was nothing short of utter devastation. Where once stood a house was now a scene of blasted rubble. Sharp pieces of wood jutted out here and there. Pieces of stone and brick were scattered all over the place. Small groups of flames dotted the chaotic scene. Yet whilst the house's walls had fallen and collapsed into pieces, it's foundations still remained - proof that the house had ever existed. And amid the broken pieces of wood and the scorched stone, there lay pieces of charred bone and blackened cloth that may have once been magenta-coloured. The members of the cult had been completely vaporised - leaving absolutely no trace of what they were up to or whether they had succeeded in doing so. And whilst the cult had been removed from existence, the house itself had gone with it - completely blown apart by the explosion. 

Then it hit him. The explosion! The cultists! Amelia! Zelgadis' mind catapulted into top gear at the thought of his missing friend.

Even as every joint in his body groaned in protested pain, Zel slowly moved from his prostrate position up onto his knees. It was then from here that he managed to, in spite of the pain inflicted onto him, ascend to his feet.

But as Zel gathered his wits together, his ears pricked up at the sound of a soft moan.

A soft moan was weak yet quite close. 

And oddly familiar. 

Gourry!

Zel flicked his head around in the direction of the moan.

Only to make an alarming discovery.

He had found Gourry all right. But the swordsman was lying at Zel's feet - bearing an expression of pain across his face. Whereas Zel escaped any damage inflicted from the explosion, thanks to the protection of his stone skin, Gourry wasn't so lucky. The swordsman was in absolute pain: his clothes were torn and singed, his skin was riddled with hideous cuts and his muscular arms were bedecked with huge amounts of blood. Yet in spite of his lousy condition, Gourry was still able to utilise his vocal chords to moan out the ghastly pain he was in. And it was this moaning that told Zel that he was still alive.

Zel grimaced at the sight of the injured Gourry....

....before having his thoughts interrupted by a new noise.

"ZEL!" 

Zel flicked his head around at the sound of his name. Lina!

There, running towards the chimera, was a whole group of people. Unsurprisingly the explosion had woken up each and every villager in Dakeyras. The villagers had all risen from their beds, and had all come out in their bed-clothes to investigate. And at their head was Lina. There was also another familiar face. 

Zel blinked. Sylphiel!? What was she doing here?

The crowd swarmed around the chimera and the fallen Gourry. 

"Zel!" Lina said. "What the hell's going on here? What's happened?! We all heard an explosion....."

"Zelgadis!" Sylphiel exclaimed. "Are you all right?"

"Don't worry about me!" Zel replied. "Gourry needs healing and fast!"

It was there and then that Lina and Syl caught sight of the stricken swordsman. Instantaneously, Lina's eyes widened and her jaw dropped. 

"GOURRY!" she screamed. 

Immediately, she moved into action.

Before being cut off by an intervening arm. 

"No Lina!" Syl said. "This is a task I'm best suited for!"

Then, acting upon an instinct forged from being a shrine maiden, Syl knelt down and began healing Gourry. She didn't cry, she didn't shake, neither did she allow herself to be overcome with any emotion. Yes, she was quite upset at seeing Gourry beaten up like this but now was not the time to cry about it. Now was the time to do what she did best:

Her duty as a shrine maiden. 

And as a loyal friend. 

Acting upon a strength that was forged from her time in Sairaag, Sylphiel began the process of using her power to heal Gourry. Now was the time for action and concentration - Not the time to let things stand in her way.

Lina turned to Zel. "What exactly happened here?"

Quickly Zel explained what happened to the sorceress and the villagers. And as Lina took everything in, her expression turned grim. 

"I see" she said. "And where's Amelia now?"

"That I do not know." Zel said, slowly. He then turned away from the sorceress. 

"You know....." Lina began - before falling into an abrupt silence. 

Zel blinked at this sudden change.

"Lina?" he inquired. "Are you all right?"

Lina didn't answer. Instead she laid a hand on his arm. At this gesture, Zel turned around.

And then he saw it. 

Syl stood up, her healing spell complete. She stood up and turned towards Zel and Lina.

"I've healed Gourry!" she said. "He should come around any minute....."

Syl stopped mid-sentence. It was there and then that she noticed Lina's discovery. And it was there and then that Syl joined her friends, and the villagers, in staring in awe at this oddity. 

There, rising up above the ruins was a streak of flame. But this was unlike all the other flames that were spotted amongst the ruins. This was much larger and it was blue - a sign that gave away this flame's magical origins. 

Suddenly the flame shot upwards! The flame shot upwards to tower above the crowd of onlookers. The flame also began swelling: It began to grow fatter and fatter. It was as if it was anticipating something extraordinary to happen.....

In seconds something did. 

The ground that the flame was sitting upon spilt open. The ground split open in a crack. A crack which grew in size with every passing second. And as the crack grew larger, it gave way to the formation of a web of cracks. A web of cracks that tore apart portions of the ground it resided in. A web of cracks that quickly grew into a hole. 

Then, a loud scream filled the air. A loud scream that rang from the depths of the hole. A loud scream that chilled the blood of all who heard it. 

A loud scream which heralded an arrival. 

Seconds later, something else emerged from the depths of the hole. It came in the form of a large suit of armour. A large suit of armour that was consisted of a breastplate and a helmet. A breastplate and helmet that was decorated with a design of iconography that was at once hideous, disturbing, ornate, and ancient. 

Bathed in the blue flame, the suit of armour loomed before the crowd before it. 

At the sight of the monstrosity, the villagers backed away nervously. But this was not the case with Lina and Zelgadis. They didn't move. They didn't back away. They didn't adopt an expression of fear. They just stood defiantly, before this suit of armour. Sylphiel, although bearing wide eyes and a worried expression, too stood her ground.

Suddenly a voice emerged from the depths of the armour. A voice that was loud. A voice that was booming. A voice that was more like the roar of thunderstorm. 

_"Aaaahhhh!"_ Said the voice. _"It feels so good to walk on this earth again! How I have longed for this moment for so long!"_

Lina blinked, unimpressed. 

"And who are you?" she snapped. "Like I care...."

The suit of armour, still floating within the blue flame, leaned forward towards the sorceress. 

_"I am the Great Lord Damenamecus!"_ the armour boomed. _"And after centuries of banishment I have risen again! Risen again to reshape the world for...."_

"Yeah, yeah!" Lina interrupted, revealing her lack of interest for this nutter. "Cut to the chase!"

The armour calling itself Damenamecus was taken aback. It seems the world has indeed changed dramatically since his last visit. 

_"And who are you to challenge me like that? Who do you think you are?"_

"I'm Lina Inverse!" the red-head retorted. "And I've faced many cretins like you before!"

Damenamecus cocked his head. 

_"Who?"_

It was at that point that Lina fell over in exasperation. What? This lunatic hasn't heard of her?! Where has he been?!

But Zel wasn't having any of this arguing. Instead his expression was thoughtful. 

"Wait!" Zel exclaimed. "I've heard of you!"

"Are you" the chimera went on, addressing the armour, "By any chance, the greater mazoku Damenamecus who fought alongside Ruby-Eye Shabranigdu in his war against Fire-Dragon Cephied?" 

Upon hearing this, Damenamecus roared with laughter. 

_"That I am!"_ he boomed. _"I did fight in that great war as one of Ruby-Eye Shabranigdu's most trusted lieutenants! I led his legions to many a victory before Cephied defeated me!" _

And not only did he triumph over me, that dragon drained me of all my power before sealing me away in a prism of a prison! But now, I've been freed! Freed to roam this earth and bend it to my will!"

"That's really nice ya know." Lina yawned. "But I don't really care much for your life story! To me, you're just another goon who doesn't know who he's messing with."

"Uh....Lina" Zel said with a sweat-drop. "If he hasn't heard of you then most likely he doesn't know who he's dealing with."

_"I wouldn't be so confident if I were you."_ Damenamecus warned the red-head.

"Was that a threat?" Lina retorted. "I'll have you know, I once defeated your master Ruby-Eye Shabranigdu!"

Upon receiving this information, the armour paused - as if uncertain as to what to make of Lina's claim or how to react. 

Seeing Damenamecus pause, Lina grinned in triumph. 

"Yeah, that's right!" she boasted. "Now what do you say to that? Not so tough now, eh?"

_"Obviously I must take care."_ The armour replied. _"If you were capable enough to defeat Ruby-Eye Shabranigdu, then it may pay me to get some assistance...."_

Suddenly, a huge bolt of lightening burst forth from the flame, heading for Zelgadis. The chimera tried to jump out of the way, but wasn't successful. Zel was struck by the full force of the bolt and went down on his back. 

Lina blinked in astonishment. Syl, bearing an expression of distress, knelt down beside the chimera. 

_"You see"_ Damenamecus proclaimed. _"I was once a wizard. A wizard who experimented with magic and science. Yet in my pursuit of knowledge and power, I made a pact with Ruby-Eye Shabranigdu. In return for my servitude, I was granted with the most forbidden of knowledge. And it was through this boon that I continued with my studies. Eventually, I used my powers of knowledge and science to create the ultimate life-form. A life-form I dubbed a chimera!"_

Lina gasped at this revelation. "You mean....?"

_"Yeah that's right"_ the armour mocked. _"I was the first to bring this forbidden science from the mazoku plain to the world of the living! I was a pioneer to this magnificent art! _

"And since I was the first to master this science" he went on. "I can easily bend any chimera to my will!"

And with these words, Zel suddenly sat up - much to Sylphiel's astonishment. The chimera opened his eyes - to reveal a pair of triangular objects filled with sinister orange light. 

Zel jumped to his feet and drew his sword. Clutching his wicked blade, Zel advanced towards Lina, with murderous intent. 

Lina's expression hardened. She knew what Damenamecus was up to. He had, somehow, gained control over the hapless Zel. The chimera was being forced into fighting Damenamecus' battle! That ruthless bastard....

Suddenly, the chimera aimed the blade of his sword towards Lina. Then, with this blade raised high, Zel charged right towards Lina! 

Thinking quickly, Lina jumped out of the way. Consequently, Zelgadis' charge went wide.

This gave enough time for Lina to think. What should she do now? Should she cast a spell? Should she try and stop Zel? No! She's not the type to harm one of her friends - whether they're being manipulated or not!

But none else of her friends have the protection of a rock skin.....

And besides, if she doesn't do something quick, she wouldn't be here much longer!

Should she take out Damenamecus? That's possible, but if he really is who he claims to be, she should take caution - particularly if she has no concrete evidence of how much power he has.....

By now, Zel had turned around and was now preparing for another charge towards Lina.

The time to decide was now....

In the end, she bit the bullet. 

_I'm sorry Zel._ Lina thought.

"MEGA BRAND!" She shouted, hoping Zelgadis' stone skin will save him this time. 

Suddenly the ground underneath Zel exploded! A huge mass of rock burst from the ground underneath Zel, taking the chimera up into the heavens. Zel was catapulted into the sky.

With Zel now gone, Lina turned angrily towards Damenamecus. The armour chuckled, amused by the proceedings. 

_"Well I suppose that would be one less to deal with"_

"YOU BASTARD!" Lina screamed. "You coward! Using people like that for your own ends! Why when I get my hands on you....."

Damenamecus merely laughed. 

"Once again you have no idea who you're dealing with" he mocked. 

_"You see"_ he went on, _"My master was most pleased with my efforts in bringing the creation science to the this world that he elevated me to position in the mazoku hierarchy!"_

"You mean....?" Lina gasped. 

_"That's right."_ Damenamecus said. _"I'm a greater mazoku."_

"Hang on" Lina said. "If you're a greater mazoku and you've also been sealed away for centuries than that must mean your power must be much weaker then it was!"

_"That is true"_ Damenamecus boomed. _"Yet while my power is weak, it does however grow stronger, the longer I remain on earth! And I am only here because I have a soul to provide a host body. A soul in the shape of a teenaged girl!"_

Lina blinked. Teenaged girl? Surely he can't mean Amelia?!

_"And while I may be weak"_ the armour continued. _"I am still quite a force to be reckoned with!"_

And to prove his point, the armour unleashed a bolt of pure power right at Lina. The red-head tried to dodge out of the way, but wasn't fast enough. The bolt slammed right into the sorceress, knocking her to the floor. 

Damenamecus chuckled. Yes, those two annoyances had fallen. Now nothing can stop him! Nothing can interfere with the return of his powers! And once that happens, nothing would interfere with him roaming this earth! Nothing will stop him!

But in his haste, Damenamecus made a fatal error. 

Once, he'd arrived to earth, he was challenged by three mortals. Two of which were perceived as a threat and, as a consequence, eliminated. The other mortal didn't seem like much of a threat and so he ignored her. 

And that's where Damenamecus failed. 

Sylphiel has crouching down on her knees. Her eyes were closed and her lips were mouthing silent words. Something had happened to Syl. Whether it was the presence of a greater mazoku or the shock of Zel being manipulated only to be taken out or the sight of Lina being blasted, something did happen to Syl. Appalled by what she was seeing, the priestess knelt down and closed her eyes, wishing Damenamecus and all this mayhem around her would go away.....

And then it happened. Syl felt something ignite within her. She could feel something trigger within her. She could feel a call within her. A call to take action. A call to destroy Damenamecus. A call to help her friends in the time of need. 

Words floated into Syl's brain. Forbidden words. Forbidden words she had memorised. Forbidden words she had used once before. Forbidden words she had sworn never to use again. 

But now the situation had become desperate.

Foolishly, Damenamecus had chosen to ignore Syl. His ignorance was her advantage. This gave Sylphiel enough time to get ready.... 

Eventually she stood up and stared defiantly at the greater mazoku.

Then she said but two words:

"DRAGON SLAVE!!!!!"

Suddenly a bolt of pure destructive energy erupted from the priestess' fingertips and thundered towards the greater mazoku. Damenamecus turned around to face the priestess in alarm. _Dragon Slave?_ Hey! He knew those words!

But it was too late. Syl's Dragon Slave ploughed towards Damenamecus. And with his powers in a weakened state, he had little chance of survival. 

A web of cracks appeared across Damenamecus' breastplate. A web that shattered the ornate casing within seconds! Following this, the armour exploded in a shower of dust! And from the explosion, something catapulted from the depths of the armour. Something catapulted far into the air. Something that looked like Amelia.....

Now with his armour lost, Damenamecus screamed. Screamed a terrible scream. Screamed a scream of defeat. Screamed at the irony that, after centuries of waiting, his time on earth lasted only a few minutes!

With a bloodcurdling wail, Damenamecus was pulled back into the depths of the earth. Back to the underworld. Back to his prism prison. Back to the mazoku realm, never to bother any mortals ever again. 

And then he was gone. And without it's source of power, the blue fame died away to nothing. Leaving the ruins as quiet as tomb. 

Sylphiel breathed a huge sigh of relief. She couldn't believe what she had done. She had used the terrible Dragon Slave spell. She had used such a destructive power - even when she swore never to do such a thing ever again. 

But in her heart of hearts she carried a sense of triumph. She had done something good. She had managed to banish a greater mazoku from this mortal plain. She had managed to find the courage to stand up to the evil forces that had plagued her life. 

Yes, she had done something good. And damn, she felt good!

Suddenly, something came plummeting from the sky. Something that landed within several feet of Sylphiel. Something that looked like Amelia.....

Amelia?!

Syl moved towards this discovery. If it truly was Amelia, then now would be the time to tell her of Philionel's message! At long last, her quest would be over!

Syl knelt down next to her discovery.....

And suddenly she gasped in horror. Her eyes widened and she raised her hand to her mouth in shock. 

This discovery certainly was Amelia. Well, it looked like Amelia.

But something was different. Sinisterly different.

Amelia's hair strands had hardened - hardened to become like needles. Her skin, which had once been soft and smooth had now hardened as well: It had become rocky and hard. What's more, Amelia's skin had turned blue and became dotted with large indigo speckles of rock.

Sylphiel gasped in horror. 

Amelia was no longer a princess.

She was a chimera.

* * *

What?! Amelia's got Zelgadis' chimera curse?! Quick! Turn the page!  
Contents  



	18. Chapter 15 In the Aftermath

The Woodsman The Woodsman  
Chapter 15  
In the Aftermath 

* * *

The rest of the night was certainly eventful. The destructive force of Sylphiel's Dragon Slave had created extensive damage to Dakeyras and the various buildings that housed the populace. There were several buildings that were still standing, but fewer still stood unscathed. Having such a destructive force unleashed onto the village was certainly a cause of panic amongst the villagers. They all ran this way and that, all yelling in desperation and despair, some making efforts to douse the flames that devoured the buildings still standing, some trying to locate and recover loved ones, some being overcome with the disaster of losing their home and everything. 

Being in a such panic, the villagers had no time to hunt down the perpetrators or point any accusing fingers.....

Several hours later, the night sky was penetrated by the first traces of sunlight. Yet as the sun rose over the horizon, announcing the arrival of a new day, nothing had changed in Dakeyras. It was still a scene of total chaos as the village picked itself out of the scene of devastation that the village had become. The wound it had suffered was immense - and it would certainly take a lot of work to restore Dakeyras to it's former glory. 

But the villagers worked on. Worked on to recover what could be salvaged. Worked on in spite of the lack of sleep. Worked on with the task of saving the remnants of the village. 

Yet, as the villagers worked hard to rebuild their lives, they were too busy to pay any attention to anything else. 

Such an oblivious attitude provides the perfect cover.....

The perfect cover of some nefarious scheming.....

Had any of the villagers shot one glance at the site where the cultist house once stood, they would have caught sight of a solitary figure.

A single, solitary figure who picked his way through the remnants of the house.

A single, solitary figure whose features were concealed by a magenta robe. 

A single, solitary figure who was cursing under his breath.

Things were just going marvellous. The plan was all falling away at the seams. They finally achieve a host body and they finally succeed in resurrecting Damenamecus - only to have it all fall away so abruptly. What had taken months to plan out was destroyed in mere minutes. What was more infuriating is that Damenamecus had returned to the mortal realm only to disappear just as soon as he arrived. And without granting the immense knowledge he had promised! Talk about fate!

What was worse still is that the host body, the treasured puppet, had disappeared! Disappeared without a trace! Disappeared along with any hopes of attempting to resurrect Damenamecus a second time! Seems the prospects for knowledge are slipping further and further away....

Yet in spite of this chain of continuos disaster, there is still the prospect of hope. There is still a chance that the knowledge he had been thirsting after will be granted to him. 

There is a chance the puppet could be buried under all this rubble.....

All he has to do is find her. And after that everything should fall into place with ease.....

Suddenly a voice broke the hooded figure out of his reverie. 

"Kurt!" the voice shouted. "Over here!"

The hooded figure looked up at the sound of his name. He grinned. That voice certainly sounds familiar.....

Kurt removed his hood and headed over in the direction of the voice. He then knelt down and began shifting a huge portion of the fallen wall. Pushing the wall clear, the teenager found a welcome discovery.

It was a skull. 

A skull that gazed up at Kurt with empty sockets.

A skull that signified all that was left of the liche Adolphus. 

Kurt reached under the skull and lifted it out of the ruins. The teenager grinned with malevolent intent at his find.

"Well numbskull." Kurt grinned. "It's good to see you're still around."

"Oh marvellous" Adolphus snarled. "My resurrection of Damenamecus falls through, our base of operations collapses, all of our disciples are incinerated, I lose my body and yet you still persist with your nonsense!"

"Oh yeah?" Kurt smirked. "What are you going to do?! You can't do a lot in your condition now, can you?!"

"You underestimate me" Adolphus shot back. And to prove his point, the skull's jawbone snapped shut on the teenager's hand! 

Kurt let out a shriek of alarm, as the pain burst out into his palm.

However there was one thing wrong with Adolphus' plan of revenge - In his pain Kurt let go of the skull. Thus, there was little that could stop the liche from tumbling down onto the rubble below. 

Hitting the ground with a bone-crunching thud, Adolphus grumbled. Well, this was just marvellous. He finally gets an edge of that troublesome teenager - only to wind up in a position of utter ridicule! Fate can be most cruel.....

But just the bastard wait. He'll get what's coming to him. Something that will certainly be something worth laughing about. 

Suddenly both the liche and Kurt fell silent as a new voice heralded the entrance of an intruder to the scene. 

"Cease your games, both of you! We don't have time for this!"

Both Adolphus and Kurt looked up at the newcomer. She was bedecked in a magenta robe, sporting a shower of raven black hair and an expression of beauty and intelligence. The woman also displayed a glare of incompetence at her associates. 

"Alana!" Kurt exclaimed. "You're still here!"

"Of course!" the woman named Alana retorted. "You didn't think I would miss out on the great knowledge promised by Damenamecus would I?"

Upon hearing this, both Kurt and Adolphus blinked in exasperation.

"And on that note" Alana continued. "Where is Damenamecus? And what happened to our base? And our loyal disciples.....?"

Kurt nervously shuffled his feet, unsure as to how to break the news to his accomplice in crime. Adolphus, however, sweat-dropped.

"Umm.....Alana?" Kurt replied. "Did you happen to hear a massive explosion....?"

Alana blinked. "Yeah....."

Then it hit her. 

"WHAT?!" she yelled. "What the hell happened?!"

"I can explain" Adolphus said calmly. "I saw everything."

"The chosen one did arrive" he went on. "And she did ascend to the altar. However some of her friends arrived looking for her. But they were too late to save her: She had already been appointed to the task of providing a host body. And Damenamecus did come to earth - but in a massive explosion that claimed the house and all of our disciples. Then Lina Inverse showed up and, along with her friends challenged Damenamecus. And I'm sorry to say that they succeeded...."

Alana blinked, taking in every word of Adolphus' story. Then, her expression grew angry.

"I can't believe this!" she snapped. "I can't believe your incompetence!"

"MY incompetence?!" the skull roared back. "What have I done?!"

"You let that interfering Lina destroy Damenamecus!" Alana screamed in fury. "You let Damenamecus disappear before he could grant us all that wonderful knowledge we've been seeking for!"

"Don't you dare speak to me like that!" Adolphus growled. "I am strong in power!"

"That's true" Kurt giggled. "But for now, you don't have a leg to stand on!"

Alana sighed her annoyance. Eventually she allowed her anger to subside and spoke again:

"So what do we do now?"

"Well I don't know about you" Kurt said "But I'm not giving up yet! I want that knowledge that Damenamecus promised to us! I say we start again!"

"That's all very well" Adolphus replied. "But how can we start all over with no disciples, no base of operations and no Chosen One to play host?"

"Easy" Kurt grinned. "If Damenamecus is gone then his host, the Chosen one, must surely still be around here under all this rubble!"

"I doubt she would've survived....." the liche mused.

"Yeah" Kurt agreed. "I've been all over this ruin but I haven't found a trace of her!"

"Well maybe she would've if you hadn't allowed that Lina Inverse to destroy Damenamecus!" Alana snapped at Adolphus.

"Oh yeah?" Adolphus shot back. "Where were you whilst I was busy summoning our Great Lord?" How dare she speak to him like that?! Him, a liche of great power! A liche who has been living for centuries! He was immortal while she was still a mere human. And a human who's main concern is the science of life-form creation! 

"Well at least I wasn't stupid enough to let Damenamecus go without sharing his wondrous knowledge!" Alana shot back.

Adolphus snarled in anger. Just that bitch wait. He'll show her! He'll show that he is truly a force to be reckoned with!!!

As Alana and Adolphus both descended into arguing, Kurt sighed. Slowly he turned away and headed through the rubble, poking his way through the remains of the house. Right now, he was thinking of commencing a second attempt to resurrect Damenamecus. However there was no way he could do it without recovering the host body, the Chosen one, first.....

Suddenly, his eyes caught sight of something! Something poking out of the rubble. Something which Kurt hurried towards. Could this be the Chosen One.....?

Upon arriving at his destination, Kurt frowned. No, this wasn't the chosen one. Great, so much for high hopes.....

Suddenly a plan began formulating within Kurt's twisted mind. A plan that involves this discovery. A plan that could swing things in the favour of himself and his friends. A plan that could certainly pick things up after this disaster.....

"Alana!" he shouted. "Bonehead! Over here!"

Immediately, Alana and the liche ceased all arguing. Scooping up the skull in her hands, Alana hurried over to Kurt and his discovery. 

Once there, both the liche and the scientist, gazed at this find. 

There at their feet lay the body of a red-headed girl. She lay in amongst the rubble, completely knocked out. A short distance away, lay a tall blond man. He too was unconscious. And near that was a chimera.....

"That's not the Chosen One" Adolphus groaned. "That's her friend!"

"Hold on" Alana said, pointing at the red-head. "That's Lina Inverse! The famous bandit killer!"

"Preciously!" Kurt grinned. 

"I've got an idea" he went on. "We can't find the Chosen One but we have found her friends! If we can't find the Chosen One, we'll make her come to us! Once she finds out he have her friends captive, she gladly do whatever we tell her! And even if she doesn't show up, we can merely turn this Lina over to the authorities and claim a huge reward in gold! Either way, we can't loose!"

"Kurt" Alana began. "I do believe you're onto something. Something quite brilliant and clever in all it's ingenuity....."

"Yes, but there is one problem as far as I can see" Adolphus said. "You forget that there is no place for us to go here. The house where we conducted the resurrection has been blown off the face of this earth!"

"All right then" Alana said in a voice radiating with authority. "This is what we'll do. I'll take care of these three. Kurt, you stay here and try to find the Chosen One. If she doesn't come, tell her we have her friends. I'll meet you back at my place!"

"Your place?" Kurt echoed, a puzzled expression across his face.

"Trust me" Alana grinned. "I have found an abandoned mansion on the outskirts of this village. It's a touch shabby but it'll pass as a new bse for our operations. From thereon, we can plan our next move."

"Understood." Kurt said. "Good luck to you."

And with that, the teenager turned away and headed off, to continue his search for Amelia.

Alana, meanwhile, gazed upon the three bodies before her. Then she turned and gazed down at the skull that was Adolphus.

"I guess we had better find you some body eh?" she grinned.

Adolphus merely grumbled his disgust at Alana's bad joke. 

And thus the three evils left the blasted ruins behind.....

* * *

The tavern was the one of few buildings that managed to survive Sylphiel's Dragon Slave. It still stood as the many villagers ran this way and that, seeking to douse the flames that consumed the various buildings and salvaging all that could be recovered. 

With such activity, one could move around easily without the fear of attracting attention and running into any threats.

Thus, Sylphiel was able to make it to the safety of the tavern. It was within the security of the tavern's protective stone walls that the priestess was able to observe the chaos around her. 

She sighed. She couldn't believe what she had done. In casting the Dragon Slave she had wielded an enormous amount of destructive power. Sure, such use was with the intention of eradicating a greater mazoku from this mortal realm, but at what a cost! The village of Dakeyras had now collapsed into ruin and flame. Buildings were blown apart and the few that remained were already being consumed with flame. 

All the proof was laid before Sylphiel from the window in her tavern room.

What made matters worse was that a large group of the villagers witnessed her casting of the Dragon Slave spell. Consequently it was most likely that they would hold her responsible for the devastation caused. But even as the villagers panic provided her the necessary cover to slip away, it wouldn't take long for the villagers to discover her absence and, possibly, put a price on her head!

Seems she would have to keep a low profile from now on..... 

Syl sighed and turned away from the window. The necessity of a low profile wasn't the least of her troubles. No, there was a greater problem facing the priestess.....

There, across the room, Amelia Wil tesla Saillune lay on the bed, fast asleep. But the disturbing thing was that Amelia's appearance had been altered in a way that was sinister and frightening. She had, somehow, obtained the same curse that had plagued Zelgadis Greywars. What was disturbing was that this curse was an exact replica of Zel's. Thus, Amelia's flesh had grown blue, her hair had turned to needles and her frame had grown hard as rock. 

What worried Syl was how Zelgadis was going to react to upon seeing that Amelia had become a chimera like himself. The priestess certainly knew how obsessed Zel was in finding a cure of his condition as he couldn't bear to live with the frustration of being perceived as a freak. But what happens when he isn't the only chimera in the world?

And what else happens when he finds out the other chimera is someone who has been trying excessively to make him smile?

Syl returned her gaze out through the window, another thought weighing heavily on her mind: The exact whereabouts of Lina, Zelgadis and Gourry. The priestess knew for a fact that they were taken out in the battle with Damenamecus. Yet, once Syl had seen what had happened to Amelia, a sense of urgency took over and Syl fled to the tavern with Amelia and without her friends. 

But if Lina, Zel and Gourry were still out there, would they still be alive following such a horrendous encounter? And would they still be alive following the destructive power of that Dragon Slave spell? 

No matter, she would have to find them whether they be dead or alive.

However such a task is easier said then done as Syl can't show her face in public......

Suddenly, a soft moan broke Sylphiel out of her thoughts. 

Slowly, Amelia rolled over and opened her eyes. Thinking quickly, Sylphiel moved to the bedside and covered the princess' mouth with her hand. 

Even though Amelia had just woken up, this sudden move suddenly jolted her out of the world of the slumber and into the realm of the living. Amelia looked up and got an even bigger shock when she saw Sylphiel. Immediately, Amelia made excited, however muffled, noises. 

Syl smiled sadly. 

"Hello Amelia." she said. "Sorry to trouble you like this but there's something I believe you ought to know...." 

* * *

Chapter 16  
Contents  



	19. Chapter 16 The Calm before the Storm

The Woodsman The Woodsman  
Chapter 16  
The Calm Before the Storm 

* * *

As the sun rose high in the sky, signalling the midday, the villagers of Dakeyras all breathed a sigh of relief. Their hard fought battle against the flames that consumed their village had been won. Yet, victory did not come easily: Even as the flames had all been extinguished, Dakeyras itself was in utter ruin. What was once a thriving village was now a wreckage of scorched rubble and ash. 

Yet even as ruined as Dakeyras was, there were few buildings left standing. 

One of which, was certainly cause for suspicion among the more perceptive villagers. 

A building that was separated from the rest of village and feared by the local populous.

It was on a hill overlooking Dakeyras. And it came in the form of a mansion. A mansion that, whilst being generally avoided by the general public, was still regarded as part of the village. A mansion that had a reputation for housing peculiar activities and all things of occult origin and dangerous business. 

A mansion that, until recently, remained empty. 

A mansion where something horrific was mere hours away from taking place.....

And it was in the depths of this mansion that a pair of ruby red eyes were slowly opening.

Lina Inverse opened her eyes halfway. What.....? She was still alive? 

Gradually, her senses came back into operation. It was now that her ears picked up the sound of water dripping. Apart from that, no other sound could be detected.

Lina sighed groggily. What had just happened? Her body felt covered with bruises and she ached all over. What had just happened? Her recollection of the past few hours seemed hazy. The last thing she recalled was fighting Damenamecus.....

Damenamecus?!

Immediately, Lina's eyes shot open, the thought of the greater mazoku triggered her into action. Forgetting all about being freshly emerged from unconsciousness, the sorceress leapt to her feet. Her eyes darting left and right, looking for that Greater Mazoku. Where is the bastard?! She'll teach him to mess with her!

There was just one problem.

Lina, was still injured and in no shape to chase bad guys!

Struck with this sudden realisation, Lina was brought back onto the floor. 

Dammit! Damn that Damenamecus! Damn his mazoku arse to hell!

Cursing under her breath, Lina drew her powers to cast a healing spell. 

Dammit, it looks like she's stuck here.

Wherever here is. 

Lina paused, using the opportunity to identify her surroundings. Yet the surroundings weren't anything special: She was in a room. An empty room with a dirty floor, cold stone walls and little light to illuminate the room completely. Yet with the little light in the room. Lina could make out that the room was devoid of any furniture and there was a door that led from the world to who knows where.....

Lina grumbled. Well this was just great. It seems obvious that she's been captured. But by who? Was it by those three evils who were pursuing Amelia? If they're after Amelia then what would they want with her? 

But wait. Would Amelia still be alive? In the battle with the greater mazoku, Damenamecus mentioned that he was relying upon a host body to remain in the mortal realm. A host body that could only have been Amelia. But if Damenamecus had been defeated then where's Amelia?

Suddenly a voice broke the sorceress out of her thoughts.

"Lina!"

At the sound of her name, the red-head looked up. Looked up to see Gourry Gabriev rising up off the floor with a bewildered expression on his face. And thanks to Syl's healing powers, his body was without a scratch. 

Upon seeing her friend alive and well, Lina's face broke into an expression of pure delight. 

"Gourry!" she exclaimed "You're alive!"

"Yeah" Gourry grinned. 

"So you're here too eh?"

"What?" Gourry replied blinking. "Here?"

"Oh come on!" Lina said, exasperated. 'Didn't the change of scenery give you a clue?!"

"Err.....no?"

Lina slapped her forehead in frustration. 

"It seems that someone wants to keep us as prisoners" said a third voice.

Lina and Gourry turned to see Zelgadis emerging into view. Yet the chimera was hardly in the best of shape: Following the battle with Damenamecus, Zel was looking fairly battered and bloodied and he bore a grim expression. Fortunately for the chimera, it was his chimera form that bore the brunt of the injuries and kept him from death's door.

Lina blinked in astonishment.

"Zel!" she exclaimed. "Are you all right? I'm so sorry!"

Zel blinked. "Sorry?"

"Yeah, sorry for blasting you into the air with an Explosion....."

Lina suddenly went quiet mid-sentence as she just realised what she'd just said. Zelgadis' expression then grew angry.

"WHAT DO YOU MEAN YOU BLASTED ME INTO THE AIR?!' he shouted. 

"Oh come on!" Lina argued "If it wasn't for your stone skin you wouldn't still be alive!"

As Lina and Zel plunged into yet another argument, Gourry sighed. Here we go again....

He thought back to what Zel said about being prisoners. Such an ideal bothered the swordsman. If he was really was a prisoner here then it seemed logical to leave while he still can.

"Guys!" Gourry yelled interrupting the argument. "Are we really prisoners here?"

Lina and Zel fell silent and turned towards the swordsman, all concepts of the argument forgotten completely. 

"Well, it appears that if someone has brought us here then they would most likely want to keep us here." Zel said. 

"Screw that!" Lina snapped. 'We're getting out of here, Period! Whether the someone who brought us here, likes it or not!"

"I'm with you!" Gourry grinned. And with that he reached for the door handle. 

Upon seeing this, both the sorceress and the chimera blinked in disbelief. 

"Uhhhh.... Gourry?" Zel said. "Are you serious?"

"Yeah!" the swordsman said, impatiently. "Do you want to get out or not?"

"Did it ever occur to you that that door could be locked? Or maybe at least trapped?"

But Gourry wasn't listening. Driven on by his eagerness to leave this cell, he grasped the door handle and tried it.

Only to find it unlocked!

Pleased with this revelation, Gourry then opened the door slowly, allowing light to spill into the darkened room and give any traps time to set off. When no such traps came, the swordsman looked beyond the doorway to see a well lit hallway. A hallway that offered the road to freedom! Grinning, Gourry stepped into the hallway and headed off down it. 

Lina and Zel stared in absolute astonishment. 

"It was unlocked." Lina murmured.

"Too easy" Zel growled.

Lina glanced at the chimera quizzically. Then she shrugged her shoulders and took off after Gourry. Zel let out a sigh before following suit. 

* * *

Amelia stood in her room in the tavern. Her eyes were gazing solemnly into a mirror and her brain was assessing the situation at hand.

Once the initial shock had settled in and died away, questions flowed into her head at an astonishing rate. How could this have happened? How could she pick up this cursed form? Did she pick it up from that blasted cult? Or maybe the sphere that they offered for her condition? 

Damn that Kurt! Damn him to hell! Was this the cure for her coughing that he promised?! 

How could that bastard do this to her?! Here she was, a princess, a Champion of Justice, an icon to the people and a figurehead to the battle against all that is evil.

And she was struck down with a curse. A curse that deformed her appearance. A curse that makes her shunned from human eyes. A curse that robs her of her status and makes her an item of hatred and ignorance. 

How ironic.

What made the irony even more bitter was that she now looked exactly like Zelgadis. Yes, she possessed the same curse that Zel had. The same curse that was wrecking tremendous damage on his character and his perceptions on life. The same curse that drove him on to search for a cure and shun all else around him. Yet in spite of this, Amelia, being the good-natured person she was, worked hard to break down the walls the Zel had erected to the world. She wanted him not to so bothered on his appearance. She wanted him to keep being focused on the human portion of his chimera form. She wanted to him to forget his curse and concentrate on what a good person he really was. She was perhaps the only one who would ever love him - for what he really was. 

Amelia paused, thinking over the events that have transpired over th past few days. Ever since they had run into those vampires, Isabella and Leopold, both she and Zel had grown incredibly close. Close enough to form a very tight bond. Yes, after countless months spent in each other's company, it took only but a few days for Zelgadis to admit that Amelia's presence had done some good to his bleak personality. And in that time, he also revealed the feelings he had developed for the princess and sealed the bond between them. And Amelia couldn't be happier: Her countless efforts were successful and her love was, at long last, returned. 

But even as it took so long to create the long-awaited bond, it was but a fragile creation. What would it take to shatter it? What would it take to destroy what had taken so long to build? What would it take to break that which held Zel and Amelia together?

Something like this. 

How would Zel react to this? How would he react to see that he wasn't the only chimera in this world? How would he react to see his beloved Amelia like this? How would he react to see her possessing the very thing that she was trying to destroy?

Amelia bowed her head in despair. What was she to do? 

Then she felt a gentle hand resting on her shoulder. 

The chimera looked up to see that the hand was Sylphiel's. 

The priestess smiled a smile that was at once both optimistic and sad. 

"Amelia" she said softly. "I know how hard this must be for you."

The princess nodded. 

"I know Syl, I know"

"But anyway" Amelia went on, in a desperate attempt to change the subject. "What are you doing here? Did you come looking for Lina?"

"Preciously" Syl said. "However I didn't just come here looking for Lina. I was looking for you."

Upon hearing this, Amelia turned away from the mirror and blinked at the priestess. 

"Really? After what happened at Martina's party I thought I'd be the last person you wanted to meet."

"Not quite" Syl answered. "I'm actually here at the request of Prince Philionel Saillune."

At the mention of her father's name, Amelia fell silent. 

"Your father knew your attack on me was the action of possession. Therefore, he entrusted me to seek you out and prevent you from doing anything insane. And, if necessary, I am also under the instructions to break the curse that may be befalling you."

Amelia reached out and placed a gentle hand onto Syl's shoulder. 

"Sylphiel" she said, smiling a warm smile. "It's great to know that I have friends I can count on, especially in times such as these.

"However" she went on. "I can't go back to Saillune"

Syl reached up and took Amelia's hand in her own. 

"You know" she said. "For a minute there, you sounded like Zelgadis."

Amelia blinked in surprise at the priestess' observation. Then she dropped her hands down to her sides and bowed her head. Syl was right. There was no point in saying things like that. She didn't want to turn towards the Zelgadis line of thought. She didn't want to hide away from the world. And she certainly didn't want to turn into that which she has tried to destroy. 

She may be a chimera, but she is still a Champion of Justice. And in times of crisis the only thing to do is what one does best. And no matter what the appearances, she is still a representative of the general populace and justice. 

And she was also a good friend. 

"You're right" Amelia said softly. "I will go back to Saillune with you, no matter what."

Syl blinked. Despite Amelia's words, she could tell the princess was still upset.

Sylphiel placed a hand of reassurance on the princess' shoulders. 

"Don't worry" she said gently. "Before we head off to Saillune, we'll go find Lina. She'll know what to do."

"But first" she said with a grin. "How about some breakfast?"

"Sure!" Amelia chuckled.

"I was just heading outside to go get some. You want to come?'

"No thanks" Amelia replied. "I'll stay here."

Syl nodded before grabbing her heavy cloak and moving out through the door. Amelia, meanwhile, sat down on the bed and rested her chin on her fists, her mind lost in it's own thoughts....

Some time later, the door squeaked on it's hinges, signalling the arrival of someone entering the room. 

"Sylphiel?" Amelia called, without turning around. "Is that you?"

"Not exactly" came a reply. A reply in a voice that at once was not Sylphiel's and disturbingly familiar. 

Amelia flicked her head around in alarm, only to see....

Kurt. The teenager stood next to the door looking rather smug. 

"YOU!" Amelia exclaimed, her expression a mixture of fear and hate. "What are you doing here?!"

"Hi, How are you? Nice to meet you!" Kurt replied sarcastically. 

Amelia got to her feet and advanced towards the intruder, bearing an expression of murderous intent.

"You've sure got some nerve showing your face around here." the princess snarled.

"Oh come now" Kurt giggled. "Do you always greet friends like this?"

Kurt's smile immediately vanished as Amelia grabbed by the front of his shirt. 

"You led me on" she snapped. "You led me to that house with the prospects of a cure for my coughing. But all it did was turn me into a chimera! And that is unjust....."

"Oh come on!" Kurt sniggered. "It did stop your coughing now, didn't it?"

Suddenly Kurt felt the power of Justice as Amelia brought a vicious uppercut to his chin! The teenager flew across the room before slamming into the floor!

Kurt paused before picking himself up off the floor. Yet in spite of his bruises and in spite of Amelia's wrathful expression, he still retained his familiar jovial expression.

"Oh silly me, did I forget to mention there were strings attached?!" he said.

Amelia blinked as he continued.

"But enough of this. I am here with a proposition for you."

"Give me one good reason why I should listen to you" came the reply.

"Because I have a cure for your chimera curse"

Amelia stopped. This was unexpected. Amelia blinked, uncertain how to take this revelation.

But should she believe him? Should she believe after he led her on? NO! 

"Liar!" Amelia yelled. "By the Blazing Light of Justice, I will crush you and all your deceptive words!"

"I wouldn't be so sceptical if I were you" Kurt replied.

"And why not?"

"Because I'm holding your friends captive!"

This was enough to halt Amelia dead in her tracks.

Seeing the fury in Amelia's eyes die away, Kurt smiled triumphantly. 

"Good" he sniggered. "Now do exactly what I tell you and you will get your cure and I'll release your friends. Agreed?"

Amelia bowed her head in defeat. Eventually she nodded her consent.

Kurt reached out his hand.

"Come" he said. "We will travel"

* * *

Elsewhere, three adventurers hurried through the halls of an enormous mansion.

"Damn! This place is huge!" Lina cursed.

"Can you run without talking?" Zel grumbled.

"I just wanna get outta here!" the sorceress retorted. 

"Look!" Gourry exclaimed, pointing at two double doors up ahead. "There's the exit!"

"Are you sure about that?" Zel replied.

"Who cares!" Lina grinned. "I want out!"

And with that she sped off, with Gourry in tow, towards the double doors. 

Zel sighed before taking up pursuit.

Upon reaching the doors Lina flung them open to reveal....

.....something that was not the outside world.

Instead of reaching the exit door, the three friends found themselves standing in, what looked like, a dining room. A dining room which was occupied by two diners, in the middle of a meal. One was a tall figure with purple robes and skull for a head. The other was a woman with long dark hair, eyes that blazed with intelligence and scarlet robes. 

The two diners looked up at the newcomers. 

"Oh hello there!" Alana smiled. "You've arrived at last."

"Yes" Adolphus added. "We've been expecting you...."

* * *

Chapter 17  
Contents  



	20. Chapter 17 The Terror of Revelation

The Woodsman Part 17 The Woodsman  
Chapter 17  
The Terror of Revelation 

* * *

The three adventurers glared at the diners. Even Gourry could tell that these two were in possession of an agenda most sinister.

Alana stood up and held her hand out.

"Ah, if it isn't the infamous Lina Inverse!" she mocked. "What an honour it is to finally meet you! Won't you join us for a little wine?"

But Lina wasn't in any mood for any nonsense! She strode over to the two evil masterminds with an expression as black as coal. The red-head slammed her fists down on the table in rage and leaned in towards these newcomers.

"And just who the hell are you?" she snarled. 

If Alana and Adolphus were perturbed by Lina's fury, they certainly didn't show it. Adolphus stood up. 

"Yes, perhaps it is time for introductions" he proclaimed. 

"Allow me to introduce myself" he continued. "I'm Adolphus and this would be my associate Alana"

Lina blinked in astonishment. Hey, those names sound familiar....

She stood and slowly took several steps away from the table. 

"Hey I've heard of you!" she exclaimed. "You were those bastards who have been following us! You've been looking for Amelia!"

Alana nodded. "Yes, you could say that....."

Gourry spoke up: "What did you want with Amelia?"

"And where is she now?" Zel growled.

"Ah yes" Adolphus replied. "Perhaps it is time for an explanation"

"You see" he went on, "I was once as young as you three. In that time, I had grown a fascination with studying magic. Therefore I set on a long and dangerous journey to learn all I could about this fascinating craft....."

"Cut to the chase!" Lina interrupted. 

Adolphus blinked, before adapting a voice that radiated of danger. 

"I thought you wanted answers!"

"I do!" Lina retorted. "But I didn't want your life story!!!"

"You sure have a way with people don't you?" Zel sighed. 

Adolphus twitched with rage, at the sorceress' impudence. Yet he eventually found enough time to rebuild his composure and continue on with his story. 

"Well my search for a greater understanding of all kinds of magic led me to unlock the tainted secrets of the dark arts. It was then that I discovered the wonders of necromancy. And after all my studying, I found a craft of magic that fascinated me. It was the ideal of using magic to create a walking life form that really appealed to me. 

"Eventually, I met Alana" Adolphus explained, nodding towards his accomplice as he did so. "She too had a fascination for the art of creating life-forms."

"A fascination?" Alana interrupted. "I wouldn't call it a fascination! I am not some sick, demented genius of twisted intent! I am a scientist! The civilised world perceives the art of life-form creation as a undertaking of those with visions of delusions and corrupt ambition! But I am making it into a wonderful and beneficial science!"

Upon hearing this, Gourry, Lina and Zel all exchanged glances of sheer bewilderment.

"Anyway" Adolphus said, carrying on with his explanation, "Alana and myself decided to utilise our skills to create the ultimate life-form. It was our dream to merge both magic and science together so a creation of both talents could walk this...."

It was then that Adolphus received a third interruption to his monologue: Only this one came in the form in a series of coughing from the three adventurers. 

Suddenly something inside the liche snapped. Adolphus then leaned forward and bellowed down at the trio.

"HOW CAN I GIVE YOU ANSWERS WHEN YOU KEEP INTERRUPTING ME?!?!!?" he roared. 

Immediately, Lina and her friends fell silent. Satisfied that he will never face the frustration of interruptions again, Adolphus went on. 

"In time, the path of research led me to discover the ruins of a laboratory. A laboratory that once belonged to the famous Red priest Rezo."

When they heard this, Lina and Gourry blinked. Zelgadis' expression hardened. 

"And in amongst those ruins" Adolphus sneered, "I found a vial. A vial containing am enigmatic potion. And knowing full well of Rezo's studies with chimeras, I knew that this vial was a gold mine of opportunity!"

Lina shot a glance at Zelgadis, to see his face grow angry and his fist shake with rage. 

"Meanwhile, Alana had become acquainted with a young man named Kurt. He claimed to know of a long-forgotten greater mazoku named Damenamecus. Damenamecus was once a great sorcerer who pioneered the science of mazoku creation! I knew that he was someone whom could provide us with a sheer treasure trove of knowledge!

"So we set about in bringing the long-forgotten Damenamecus back to life. But in order to do so, he had to provide a host body. And not just any host body: One with the right preparation! And the vial I discovered, just happened to be the vital ingredient that would aid in the summoning!

"But we still required a host body. However I knew how to get one. In my research I learned of an ill-fated chimera scientist, Diol. I sought him out and told him that I wanted to aid him in his studies. And he went right along with it! And without bothering to ask what I wanted his services for! And with that fool working for us, the preparations for the summoning came along much quicker!

"Finally, Diol gave us The Chosen One."

"You mean Amelia?" Gourry asked.

"That's right" Adolphus nodded. "And when the Chosen One fell into our grasp, we finally succeeded. The Chosen One became the host body to Damenamecus. But before he could grant us with a boon of knowledge, you attacked us and stopped us. Then your friend managed to banish Damenamecus from this realm."

Lina blinked. One of her friends?

He couldn't be talking about Syl could he?!

"But where is Amelia now?" Zel snarled whom was not liking this news at all.

"I'll answer that!" came a voice from behind the chimera.

All eyes turned to the door to see a young man, a teenager, enter the room. This man was well-groomed in appearance and bore a sinister grin. Upon entering the room, this newcomer was confronted with suspicious glares from three unfamiliar faces. Nevertheless, he continued grinning and marched right into the room.

"Ah Kurt!" Alana grinned. "It's so good for you to join us at long last!"

"As always!" the teenager replied. "And I'm pleased to report that my mission was a success! Now we can continue with our plans."

"Marvellous!" Alana cried in elation. "And where is it?"

"In it's quarters"

"And who the hell are you?" Lina snapped, at this newcomer. 

Kurt flicked his gaze around to see the sorceress. When he saw who it was, he chuckled.

"Why Lina Inverse!" he sniggered. "It's certainly a pleasure to meet you in the flesh at long last! Why, we have so much to discuss!"

Unfortunately for Kurt, Lina wasn't in any mood. Instead she grabbed the teenager by his collar and hoisted him off the ground.

"Cut the crap, laughing boy" she snarled. "Just answer the question!"

".....I suppose I could...." Kurt giggled.

But, alas for Kurt, Lina wasn't the type of person who enjoyed being toyed with. The enraged red-head dealt the evil cretin a vicious uppercut! Kurt shot into the air and crashed through the ceiling! 

Alana blinked at the strength of Lina. She had heard stories of the sorceress' short temper but none of those stories ever said something like this! Adolphus, however, emitted a series of short raspy noises - It was as if the liche was laughing.....

Seconds later, the hapless teenager found himself in the pull of gravity and came crashing down to the floor. Kurt blinked in a daze. Yet it didn't take him too long to find his gaze being met by the furious glare of a certain red-head.

Kurt managed a grin. "Perhaps I should explain...."

The teenager then struggled to his feet and cleared his throat. 

"Your friend was to be our host body to Damenamecus. But you interfered with our plans. However you are too late to save her - She has already been altered by our mighty Damenamecus!" 

Upon hearing this, Lina closed her eyes and turned away. No. No, it can't be.....It can't be!

Zel however began shaking with rage. He wasn't liking what he was hearing.

"No way!" Gourry protested.

Yes way!" Kurt grinned triumphantly. "And as long as she remains that way, we can always keep on with our attempts to resurrect Damenamecus! And once...."

Kurt never got to finish his sentence - For Lina finished it for him with a lethal backhand to the face! Kurt, along with several freshly dislodged teeth, fell to the floor. 

"I think I've heard enough" Lina announced. She opened his eyes to face Gourry and Zel. 

The red-head smiled evilly. Zel nodded in reply and drew his sword. Gourry, already with a good idea on what was going to happen, also drew his sword. Yes, a fight was on it's way. Yeah......

Lina turned around to face the two masterminds at the table with a look that said: "I'm going to fireball your arse like you wouldn't believe!"

But if Alana was aware of the impending doom that was seconds away from occurring, she certainly didn't show it. She didn't get to her feet, she didn't run, she didn't make a fuss. Instead she remained seated with a smug expression across her face. 

"You three are such fools" she said softly. "You wouldn't dare lay a finger on us."

"And why not?" Lina retorted. 

"This is why!" Adolphus answered, getting to his feet. He raised his hands upwards and muttered some unintelligible words underneath his breath. 

Immediately, in the space that separated the adventurers from the table, an eerie purple smoke emerged from the floor. This smoke rose up from the floor, towards the ceiling. The smoke towered above the heads of the astonished friends. 

Then the smoke began to inflate. It began to grow wider and fatter. It began to grow in density until it fully occupied the empty space between the table and three adventurers. Lina, along with Gourry and Zel, sensed danger and began moving back towards the door. What the hell was going on here?

Suddenly the smoke vanished. Vanished with a huge roar! Vanished into thin air! Vanished in a huge explosion and a blast of bright light! 

Shielding their gaze from the effects of Adolphus' spell, the trio never saw the smoke dissipate completely. Nor did they see the room being enveloped into the bright light.

Eventually the light died down. Lina, Gourry and Zel all looked up to see what the effects of the spell had in store for them. 

And what they saw made their blood turn to ice. 

There, lying down on the floor in front of the table, was Amelia. Fast asleep. Or at least it _looked_ Amelia. It had her familiar clothes and it had her distinctive shape but there was a difference. A difference that was most disturbing to the eye.

Amelia's flesh had changed in a way that was dramatic and horrific: Her skin, once being soft and light, had now turned hard and blue. It now possessed a texture that could only be found on rocks and it was also speckled with indigo studs of various sizes. Her ears had grown longer and sharper, revealing an obvious demonic influence. And her hair, once raven-black and smooth, had now changed into something needle-like: firm, thin and sharp.

Lina's jaw dropped in utter disbelief. Zel blinked, as he was certain that his eyes weren't lying to him. Gourry, bearing a look that was at once both astonished and terrified, dropped his sword. 

Gourry's fell to the floor with a tremendous clatter. But even that could not break the trio from the silence that enslaved them. 

Just then, Amelia stirred. She slowly opened her eyes.....

....Only to be confronted with the sight of her three friends. Her three friend whom bore the most horrified of expressions. 

Suddenly, Amelia was swept in a tsunami of panic! Quickly she leapt to her feet, her eyes darting left and right. Amelia caught sight of Kurt knocked out, a dark woman and a liche sitting at a table and Lina with Gourry and Zelgadis. 

Her friends! No! They can't be here! They mustn't see her like this!

"Miss Lina!" she exclaimed. 

"Amelia?" Lina replied, her voice revealing signs of terror and disbelief. 

"You know" Gourry stammered. "She looks exactly like....."

Both the swordsman and the sorceress turned towards the chimera. Zel was shaking with rage. He couldn't believe what he was seeing. Amelia had, somehow, contracted his accursed chimera form. Everything that he had grown to love and depend upon had been destroyed by what was plaguing his every waking moment and blinding his life. 

Zel locked a glare of hatred onto Adolphus and Alana. Then the chimera began to speak. But his words came out, one after the other, in a voice that was dangerously soft:

"Damn you bastards. DAMN YOU!" 

"Hey look on the bright side chimera boy" Alana smirked. "Now there's two of you!"

"Enough of this!" Lina shouted. "Let's end this now!"

She turned towards the evil masterminds. "I was gonna go easy on you but now that I've seen what you've done to my friend, you better start saying your prayers to whatever sick, twisted deity you worship!"

She then closed her eyes and began mouthing silent words. 

"No wait!" yelled Amelia. "Stop!"

Lina then stopped in surprise and looked up, all thoughts of Dragon Slaving Adolphus and Alana into next week all forgotten.

"Amelia?"

"....I.....I.... don't want you hurting them" Amelia said. 

"WHAT?!"

"That's right" Alana chuckled. "You're friend has agreed to help us."

"They.... promised to cure my chimera form...." Amelia said, her voice radiant with guilt.

Upon hearing this, Zel raised an eyebrow.

"Enough of this!" Adolphus declared. He raised his skeletal arms above his hands and proceeded to cast another spell. A spell directed at the trio at the door. 

Immediately, Lina, Gourry and Zelgadis all toppled forward. With their eyelids heavy and under the demanding call for rest, the trio fell to the floor in a deep sleep. 

Amelia said nothing. Instead she stood in silence. She couldn't believe what had just happened. She had got herself mixed up in an evil plot and, for her trouble, wound up with her appearance altered in a way that was hideous and terrifying. Yet she didn't want this. She didn't want the same curse that was troubling Zelgadis. Thus, when the prospects of a cure arose, she jumped at the chance. Yet, as always, there was a price to pay: And in this case it was that in order to achieve this cure, she must betray her friends. She must turn her back onto Lina, Gourry and Zelgadis and become a slave to whatever insane plot these lunatics were hatching. 

Amelia bowed her head and closed her eyes, as an enormous guilt gnawed away at her soul. She couldn't believe it. This so wasn't like her.....

She turned to Alana and Adolphus. The women raised her glass and smiled.

"Do you drink wine?"

* * *

Some time later, Amelia found herself pacing along the floor of a well furnished room within the depths of the mansion. 

This room was made up especially for her. As long as she still possessed the chimera curse, she was still able to provide a capable host body for Damenamecus. Thus, she was still a vital asset to the vile plans of the evil threesome. 

Amelia's gaze scanned the room. The room was nothing short of comfortable. In one corner was a bed containing the finest of silk sheets - finer than those she had back in the palace in Saillune. In another corner, there was a couch that would've hardly come cheap. And finally, there was a desk made from the finest mahogany. Considering that the three evils still had plans for her, they obviously wanted what was best for her. 

Amelia sighed. Yes, this room was loaded with the most luxurious furnishings and yes she was certainly in a position of great importance but she couldn't hide form the truth. She was a prisoner here. A prisoner whom was to be utilised for some nefarious scheme. 

Amelia sighed again, thinking back to the events earlier this evening.....

Dinner was hardly a cheerful affair. Amelia felt uncomfortable sharing the table with those she had to betray her friends for. What made the situation worse was that the people in question consisted of a lunatic scientist and a liche! 

Man, this wasn't like her. She wasn't the type to betray her friends! She wasn't the type to give into the enemy that easily! She was a Champion of Justice for L-sama's sake! 

However the prospects for reversing this chimera curse seemed to take a greater priority.

But just these bastards wait. Once she gets her normal body, she'll teach a lesson they won't forget in a hurry.....

Suddenly there was a knock at the door. 

Amelia sighed a third time. She could guess who was on the other side of the door. And she also had a good idea as to what they wanting. 

Even as she was repulsed by doing so, Amelia nevertheless crossed the room and opened the door. 

Her suspicions were correct: There, greeting the chimera, was the liche. 

"Hello" Adolphus greeted. "Mind if I come in?"

"Oh let me think about it" Amelia replied. "NO?!"

"He's lying you know." Adolphus shot back, quickly. 

Amelia, mere seconds away from slamming the door shut, stopped dead in her tracks. What was this?

"You mean Kurt?" Amelia asked. 

Adolphus nodded. "Indeed I do"

"And yes I do have something to say" he went on. "However I can't tell you out here. These walls have ears, you know...."

Amelia sighed, before nodding her consent. Defeated, she stepped aside, thus allowing Adolphus entry to the room. The liche stepped into the room and turned to face the chimera. 

"Kurt is lying to you" Adolphus said. "He offered you a cure for your condition so you could be duped into doing what he said.

"But you have been led on. He doesn't have a cure. He has been using you for his own ends. He has no intention of keeping his side of the bargain."

"But I have a proposition" the liche went on. 'Whilst Kurt doesn't have a cure, I do. I can break you out of that repulsive form! I can change your appearance to what it was before! I can restore your former body!

"However I need your help. I want to rob my allies of their knowledge and use it to create my own chimera - on my own. And whilst I have the means to pull such a move off, I do require your help."

Amelia blinked, thinking this over. 

"So let me get this straight." She said slowly. "You want to betray your allies and you have a plan to do so, and you need my help to carry this plan out?"

_And rid me of those ignorant, rude scum_ Adolphus thought.

"That would be it" he answered. "So, what do you think?"

Seconds later, Adolphus found himself being hurled out the door at fantastic speed! The liche came crashing into the wall opposing the door with a terrific thud! Adolphus fell to the floor as Amelia slammed the door behind him. 

"I suppose not then....." the liche managed to mumble. 

* * *

Elsewhere, away from the well-furnished prison that was Amelia's room, another soul was lurking in another prison. 

Lina Inverse awoke with a sudden jolt. Adolphus' sleep spell had now run it's path and lost it's grip on the sorceress. 

Now that she was wide awake and ready for action, Lina's eyes scanned the area. Looking for that bastard liche and that lunatic woman as well. 

But what she saw was something unexpected. Instead of being in that elegant dining room, she was in an environment that was disturbingly familiar. 

Lina jumped to her feet blinking in disbelief. 

But no. It was true. She was stuck back in this rotten cell!

"DAMMIT!!!!!" she screamed. 

"Jeez Lina" came a voice "Can you keep it down?"

It was then that the red-head came to the realisation that she wasn't alone. There, at her feet, Gourry and Zelgadis both got up from the floor, both free from the effects of the sleep spell. 

"Gourry!" Lina grinned. "Zel! You're all right!"

"Yeah" Gourry replied. "But.....didn't that dining room look larger then this?" 

"Huh?"

"I thought you must've trashed that room with a Dragon Slave! That must've knocked me out! And that must be why this room looks so shabby!"

"Gourry" Lina groaned. "We're not in the dining room any more, we're back in that cell."

"And Lina didn't cast the Dragon Slave" Zel added. "That Adolphus cast a sleep spell and they must've transported us down here."

Gourry blinked, taking all of this. Eventually he nodded. 

"So what do we do now?" the swordsman inquired. 

"What else can we do?" Zel growled. "We must rescue Amelia."

Lina raised an eyebrow at the chimera. He had his back to Lina and Gourry and, even though the other two couldn't see it, his face had adopted an angry expression and his eyes had grown furious. It seems the shock of seeing Amelia, under the same curse that had plagued him for years, had certainly had a tremendous impact on him. 

Lina walked forward and placed a comforting hand on the chimera's shoulder. 

"I know Zel, I know" she said softly. 

"No you don't know" he replied. 

Lina blinked, taken aback by the chimera' words.

"You don't know what it's like in this cursed form!" Zel went on as he turned around. "You don't know what it's like to walk this earth with a curse! You don't know what it's like to see this curse take away everything that you've grown to love!"

"Do you mean that?" Lina grinned slyly. 

The red-head sniggered as the Chimera's face erupted in a bright red blush. 

Just then Gourry spoke up: "Didn't that skull-head mention something about a cure?" 

Zel blinked.

"You don't mean that do you?"

He turned away, to face the wall once again "After all this time....."

"Uh, Zel?" Lina said. "What say we go trash those cretins? They did that to Amelia after all."

Upon hearing this, Zel's hand moulded in a fist. Yes. Lina was right. Those bastards are responsible. It's time to make them pay.

Zel nodded in agreement. 

Satisfied with this answer, Lina turned to Gourry. "You wanna come and beat those bad guys into submission too?"

"You bet!" the swordsman beamed with incredible enthusiasm. If that sounded like the prospects for some action, then how could he refuse?

"Then let's got outta here!" Lina grinned. "FIREBALL!"

Seconds later, the door was blown apart by the destructive force of Lina's fireball. And in it's wake came the three adventurers. 

"Right!" Gourry grinned, with eager fervour. "Now for some action!"

"You go on ahead." Zel said, in an authoritative voice. "I'll catch up later"

"Where are you going?" Lina inquired. 

"To find Amelia" came the reply. 

* * *

Contents  
Contents  



	21. Chapter 18 Reunions

The Woodsman The Woodsman  
Chapter 18  
Reunions 

* * *

Night time descended on the mansion. The hallways grew silent and empty. Darkness enveloped the place bringing in a vast number of shadows and swallowing all light that was stupid enough to hang around in the hallway. 

With such little light and an abundance of shadows, this was the perfect cover. The perfect cover for concealed movement. The perfect cover for suspicious activity. The perfect cover for plotting most nefarious....

Yet even if this was the time for evil to roam free, the halls of the mansion were unusually silent. Not one soul was awake. Nor was anyone roaming the hallways: The three evils that inhabited the mansion had all retired for the night, leaving the mansion as silent as a tomb. 

But suddenly, this silence was penetrated. Penetrated by the sound of a door creaking on it's hinges. A door that was being opened....

The door was the one that led into Amelia's room. Slowly the princess poked her head through the door, her eyes watching for any sign of movement and her eyes on the alert for the sounds of any threat approaching. 

Satisfied with the silence, the princess slowly made her way out of the room and closed the door behind her. It was then that she paused. What was she doing? Why was she leaving the security of her room? It may be a prison but it has to rank as the most luxurious prison she has ever been in! Furthermore, it would have to be the most secure place for her in the entire mansion! This mansion is the headquarters of the enemy. The enemy that has been relentlessly pursuing her so they could manipulate her in their twisted schemes. The enemy that was keeping her within the confines of this mansion whilst they keep her friends subjects to some fate most hideous!

Amelia examined her deformed hand. This was the same enemy that altered her appearance and made her into a chimera. And as long as she remains a chimera, she will still remain a pawn to whatever plans Alana, Kurt and Adolphus have concocted. 

Amelia's chimera hand moulded in a fist. Such a crime will not escape her gaze unnoticed. Now, her first priority is to find and recover her friends. She can't leave them rotting in a cold, damp cell whilst she is living in luxury as a 'guest'. 

And once she does, she'll show her captors absolute inferno from the business end of the Hammer of Justice....

And with that, the princess quickly ducked into the shadows and wrapped herself in the refuge they offered. 

It was from there that she began searching for her imprisoned friends. 

As she made her way through the confines of the shadows, her mind began pondering on the proposal that Kurt presented to her earlier that day. 

He told her that as long as she remained in this chimera form, she would still be able to play host body in resurrecting Damenamecus. And, in order to get her cooperation, the devious teenager promised her an antidote to destroy her cursed form and restore her human body. 

But how did she know that what Kurt promised was the genuine article? How did she know he was not leading her one with another of his lies? He had tricked her before so why should she believe him now? 

Suddenly, as she was moving past a window, Amelia was struck by another thought. A thought that made her cease her movements.

What about Adolphus and that proposition he presented her to earlier this evening? Was he being truthful by telling her that Kurt didn't have a cure? But, supposedly, if Kurt didn't have a cure, then how honest was Adolphus by telling her that he did? Yet this cure would only come if she would help the liche in his plan to do away with his 'allies'. But was this liche to be trusted? What crooked scheme did he have hidden up his sleeve?

Amelia looked at her hand. Jeez, all these factions want her because of this unique power she possessed - A power that wasn't her's by choice. 

Does Zelgadis ever feel like this?

Amelia sighed, as the chimera entered her thoughts. With such a sudden concern the princess immediately forgot all about escaping. It was there and then that she moved out of the shadows and towards the moonlight that emanated from the window. Moved into the moonlight to see her chimera curse in all it's horrific glory. Moved into the moonlight to give her time and space to think.... 

For years Zel had been obsessed with finding a cure. And, in order to see this quest through to completion, he shunned out everything else around him. Yet in the past week or so, Amelia had managed to rescue him from this grim fate by proclaiming her long-concealed love for him. Since then, the chimera had grown warm towards the princess and her promise of eternal friendship: No matter how dangerous the situation or what dangers they may face from here on in, there was one fact known for certain: They would do it together. 

Yet despite this change of behaviour nothing could conceal the fact that every silver lining has a dark cloud. And in this case it would be Zelgadis' never-ending obsession with finding a cure for his cursed form. Even though Amelia's affection for him, certainly broke down some barriers and brought him out of his introverted shell, nothing could shake the one thing that haunted the chimera and tortured his every waking moment 

But now she, the only one who had the audacity to love the chimera and show him a new view of living beyond his chimera form, had now been transformed into a chimera herself: An exact replica of Zelgadis. 

The princess thought back to earlier this evening. Back to where Zel had seen her transformation for the first time. Although she hid her eyes from him, she could tell that the impact of seeing her like this was hardly good. She could sense him boiling with rage and his eyes blazing with disbelief.

But where does this leave her? Will he look at her the same way now that he knows that she's obtained the chimera curse? Will, he shun her away from his gaze and forget everything that she tried to tell him? Or will she wind up abandoning her duties as a princess and travelling by his side as a pair of freaks on a fruitless quest?

However, as Amelia was too wrapped up with her thoughts she didn't hear the sound of footsteps approaching.

_Oh well, At least the latter option certainly has it's advantages....._

Running footsteps approaching.

_At least then, neither she or Zel would be alone....._

The footsteps thundered closer and closer, yet still Amelia pondered. 

_But is it worth travelling every inch and breadth of the world, being perceived as a freak?_

Hold on, what was that noise.....?

In that instant Amelia's train of thought collapsed. The princess, sensing danger, turned around focusing her gaze up the darkened corridor. 

But it was too late. Something burst out from the shadows and cannon-balled into the startled Amelia. Something that struck with such speed and such force. Something heavy and hard.....

Amelia was knocked off her feet and taken down to the floor. This mystery attacker brought her down in a rugby tackle and pinned her to the floor. 

There was little Amelia could do. How could she do anything? She had been caught off guard and brought down in a rapidly-executed attack. Now, for all her trouble, she was pinned to the floor by her mystery attacker. 

There was little Amelia could do except see who this mystery attacker. 

With the aid of the illumination from the moonlight, she looked up at her attacker.

And what she saw nearly made her eyes pop out of her head. 

"Zelgadis?"

The chimera blinked at the familiar sound that was Amelia's voice. Amelia? This was Amelia? He had been making his way down the corridor when he saw, up ahead, something lurking near the window. Concluding that it was an enemy, it was then that he moved into action. He charged at the newcomer and launched himself into attack.

But what he was expecting was a minion of Adolphus or Alana. Not the princess herself. 

Zel blinked at Amelia, who lay pinned beneath him. It was here that he got a good look at the horror of her transformation. And it was here that the true nightmare of the situation struck him like a sledge-hammer. 

She looked exactly like him.....

No, he wasn't expecting the princess - Especially like THIS!

"Amelia?" Zel inquired. "Is that really you?" 

She nodded.

It was then that Zelgadis eased his grip on the princess. He then got to his feet and stepped away from the princess. Having given Amelia enough space to get to her feet, he blinked at the cursed princess. There, was the true nightmare of the situation: It was Amelia's voice, Amelia's distinctive clothes and Amelia's shapely form. But, at the same time, it was also an abomination.....

His nightmares have finally become flesh.

Zelgadis turned his gaze away from Amelia and to the night beyond the window. It seems that everywhere he turns, he can't escape this chimera curse. Nor it's destructive grip it has on his life.

Amelia blinked at the chimera. She could tell what he was thinking. 

She moved forward and gently laid a comforting arm on his shoulder. 

Zel sighed, before returning his gaze to Amelia and taking her hand in his own.

"Amelia" he whispered. "What have they done to you?"

Amelia closed her eyes and bowed her head. 

"I'm so sorry, Zelgadis" she said, her voice choked with emotion. "I'm so sorry...."

Then Zel turned away from the window and placed his arm around Amelia, thus sealing the embrace. 

And for a while silence descended between the two. Not a word was spoken and not a word was necessary. Both felt the same pain as the other and both felt the necessity in the other's presence. Both felt the burden the other felt and the futility of escaping said burden. 

But what was important was that they had each other. They had one another to feel the pain, the burden and the horror of a hideous curse. 

Suddenly, the intimacy of the moment was shattered by a voice. A voice that came from the shadows. A voice that meant trouble to the ears who recognised it. A voice that was disturbingly familiar. 

"Awwww. Isn't that sweet?"

Both Amelia and Zel looked up. They both stared into the shadows, at someone whom was emerging into the light from the window. 

"Xelloss!"

"The one and only!" the Trickster replied, grinning his head off. 

Both Amelia and Zel released their grip on each other. Thanks to Xelloss' abrupt appearance all thoughts of each other were now completely forgotten!

"What are you doing here?!" Amelia demanded.

"Oh Amelia!" Xelloss grinned playfully. "How nice it is to see you again! My, you've certainly changed since we last met! Why, you look exactly like....."

"Cut the crap Xelloss" Zel interrupted. "Just answer the question!"

"What question?"

"The one which asks what you're doing here!" Amelia snapped. 

"Oh, that one!" Xelloss giggled. "Sorry! Can't answer that one!"

"Why not?" Zel snarled. 

"That's a secret!" came the reply.

Both Amelia and Zel glared at the Trickster Priest with a gaze that screamed murderous. 

Eventually Xel regained his composure and opened his eyes.

"I am here to thank you" he said. "For saving me the trouble of destroying Damenamecus myself."

"What?!" Amelia gasped. 

"Why would you care what happens to us?" Zel snapped, his voice sceptical and dangerous.

"I am merely acting on the orders of Zelas." Xel replied in a matter-of-fact tone.

Zel and Amelia blinked. 

"You see," Xel went on. "Zelas sensed what Alana, Adolphus and Kurt were up to. So rather then allow Damenamecus roam free in this realm, she sent me to stop them."

"Ha!" Zel growled. "Why would Zelas care? She just doesn't want a rival mazoku getting in her way!"

Xelloss closed his eyes and chuckled.

"Well done Zel! You're very perceptive!"

Zel twitched with rage. Sensing danger, Amelia quickly spoke up.

"You set us up to do your dirty work?"

"Of course!"

"Xelloss!" Amelia said, in an appalled tone. "That wasn't very nice!"

"Yes, but it was extremely funny!" 

Now it was Amelia's turn to twitch with rage. Yet in spite of this she still managed to continue with speaking:

"And what are you doing here?"

"To help clean up the mess"

"Why should we help you clean up your mess?" Zel snarled slowly. 

"Don't look at me" Xel sniggered, nodding towards Amelia. "You brought it upon yourself!"

This was the final nail in the coffin. Zel, now lost all concept of self-control, launched himself into a run. A run heading for the Trickster, prepared to pound him like there was no tomorrow. 

But the fight never came. For the scene was interrupted by another interloper.

"OH-HO-HO-HO-HO-HO-HO-HO-HO-HO!!!!!!!!!!"

This new sound was enough to make Zel stop dead in his tracks and make Amelia's skin crawl. Even Xelloss grimaced. Then, right on cue, Naga marched in from the shadows.

"Ah there you are Xelloss!" the sorceress grinned. "Now where are these bad guys you promised? I am eager to show them a thing or two!"

And with that, the raven-haired sorceress let loose another of her infamous laughs:

"OH-HO-HO-HO-HO-HO-HO-HO-HO-HO!!!!!!!!!!"

Xelloss opened his eyes, turned towards his 'ally' and began speaking through clenched teeth. 

"What the hell are you doing? Are you trying to blow our cover?! Do you want to bring the evils here down on our heads?!"

"Of course!" Naga replied. 

Xelloss slapped his forehead in frustration. Man, he sure has a lousy pick of allies....

Zel, meanwhile, blinked in horror. He recognised this newcomer. He had witnessed Xelloss talking her into joining him days ago. But to Zel, this woman was an enigma. What was she doing hanging around the mazoku? Was she the type to be trusted? What type of power was she capable of.....apart from that annoying laugh?!

He looked at Amelia. She too was staring in disbelief. 

It was then that Naga noticed the people Xelloss had been talking to. Her gaze grew suspicious. 

"And who are you?" Naga inquired.

"They are friends of mine." Xelloss replied.

Immediately, the two chimeras started coughing.

Naga blinked before advancing towards the nearest of the newcomers: Amelia. 

The raven-haired sorceress looked up and down at the princess. This was odd. She seemed familiar. She couldn't put her finger on it but there was something there....

"And who might you be?" Naga inquired. 

"Amelia wil Tesla Saillune" the princess replied. 

Naga blinked at the name. Odd, that too was familiar. She'd heard the name before.....

Suddenly Naga's brain was triggered. Triggered by something long forgotten. Triggered by something undergoing a resurrection. Triggered by something from Naga's past.

"Amelia?" Naga gasped. "Saillune?!"

Meanwhile, Amelia was undergoing revelations of her own. Who was this woman? When she heard Amelia's name, she sure grew surprised! But who was this woman? What was with her clothes? And her laugh? And her rather tall stature....?

She seemed vaguely familiar.

It didn't take Amelia long to place all the pieces in place.

No.... It can't be.....

"Gracia? Gracia Saillune?"

Upon hearing a long dead alias, Naga's eyes widened. 

"Are.... you.....?" she stammered.

"...that... I....am" Amelia finished. "....And are you.....?" 

"....your..... sister?" Naga replied.

And suddenly, something in the princess and the sorceress ignited. They each let out a shriek of joy and charged into one another. Both Amelia and Naga embraced each other. The sisters had, at long last, found each other. 

Then, they started talking:

"I can't believe it's you!"

"Yeah! We have so much to talk about!"

"How's father?"

"Oh he's doing well!"

Meanwhile, Xelloss and Zelgadis exchanged expressions of wide-eyed disbelief. 

"They're...._Sisters_?!?"

* * *

Elsewhere in the mansion, Lina and Gourry hurried through the endless maze of twisting corridors and many doors, in their pursuit to find a way out.

"Lina! There are so many doors here!" Gourry exclaimed. 'How do we know which one leads us out of here?"

"I guess we go for the one that looks the biggest I guess!" Lina replied. 

"Like that one?" Gourry said, pointing up ahead to a set of huge double doors.

"Yeah!" Lina grinned. "Like that one!"

Quick as a flash, the sorceress and the swordsman charged over to this discovery. They flung the doors open and dived into the world that lay beyond them. 

But that world wasn't what they were both expecting. What was not the outside world, was a huge room. It had very little in the way of furniture, it was practically empty, and the room was lit with a whole bunch of candle lamps. 

Lina and Gourry blinked. This was most unexpected.

"Going somewhere?" came voice. A voice that could belong to Alana.

The scientist emerged from the shadows with a twisted grin. This was VERY unexpected!

"Well I know one thing Lina" Gourry said. "This isn't outside."

"GOURRY YOU MORON!" came the furious reply. 

* * *

Chapter 19  
Contents  



	22. Chapter 19 Gotterdammerung part a

The Woodsman The Woodsman  
Chapter 19  
Gotterdammerung (part a) 

* * *

Lina glared at the scientist, her distrust for the lunatic coming in the form of burning daggers, aimed straight for the face of Alana. The red-head was too concerned with finding an exit - thus she had no time for Alana. If anything, she was only a mere obstacle in Lina's path. 

An obstacle that needs removing.....

But if Alana was bothered by Lina's hateful glare, she certainly didn't show it. Instead she merely chuckled to herself. 

"Well, Lina Inverse" she mocked. "Fancy seeing you up at this hour. You weren't thinking of escaping now, were you?"

"As a matter of fact I was" Lina snarled. She nodded to Gourry who, relying upon an instinct that knew danger when it reared it's ugly head, reached for the hilt of his sword. 

But if Alana picked up on the signs of impending doom, she certainly didn't seem too perturbed. She let out another laugh. But this one was different to the rest: this was a softer laugh, a less mocking laugh, the type of laugh that could only come before a voice that radiated with intentions most dangerous and sinister. 

"I can't let you leave now" Alana snarled. "If you escape and tell the world what you've seen, my experiments would be absolutely ruined!"

"I'm counting on it!" Lina grinned evilly. "FIREBALL!"

And upon uttering that fateful word, a ball of flame flew from Lina's fingertips aimed straight for the scientist. Alana tried to duck out of the way, but she wasn't quite so lucky. The flames struck the scientist, leaving her dress in tatters and her flesh scorched. 

Yet even as Alana coughed up ash, she still retained her manic expression. She still had no intention of giving up her mad schemes at all. She still carried her malevolent expression at the sorceress. 

"Oh come now!" Alana said. "Now you're here, you have no chance of escaping! Why, I still have to use your friend to...."

"You know something?" Lina interrupted. "I really don't care. FLARE ARROW!"

Instantaneously, a jet of pure, destructive magic burst from Lina's hands. Once again, Alana found herself in a position of impending doom with no chance of escape. The Flare Arrow burned it's way into Alana, destroying all that stood in it's path. 

When the arrow had died away, Alana was now a complete mess: her once soft flesh had been scorched black, her once splendid gown was now reduced to a burnt scrap of cloth and her hair was now tattered and torn.

But Alana wasn't one to give up. No amount of damage could stop her from preventing any potential interruptions to her twisted schemes. 

"Oh come now Lina." she chuckled. "I especially can't let you go. Why, some people will pay good money to spit on your grave...."

Lina's reply was short and simple:

"MEGA BRAND!"

* * *

The mansion was rocked by the destructive force of Lina's Mega Brand. So much so that it couldn't hope to endure such large amounts of earth being erupted in such a powerful manner. Thus, the mansion had no chance of escaping unscathed.

Such was the effect of Lina's Mega Brand, that it spilt open one of the mansion's strong walls. The room that contained Lina, Gourry and Alana was obliterated completely - along with several other rooms and a good-sized portion of the hallway. The mansion had had a good sized portion of it torn away completely, leaving it's insides exposed to the world. 

Alana however was thrown clear of the explosion. She sailed through the air before coming down to the hard earth that offered itself below her.

But fate intervened. Alana did not come crashing down onto the ground underneath her. Instead, she found her fall being interrupted. Being interrupted by a pair of strong hands that reached out and caught the scientist. 

Alana blinked at this sudden intervention. What on earth? How did this happen? Who..?

She looked up at her saviour and found herself staring into the friendly, familiar eyes of....

"Adolphus!"

The liche gazed with empty sockets at the scorched scientist. Alana smiled at him, but Adolphus remained silent.

"Right!" Alana grinned. "Lets go! Lina Inverse is weak now! All we need to do, is to descend upon her and finish her off for good! Let's do it together!"

Suddenly, Adolphus showed the first signs of reaction. 

"Together?" he murmured.

"Yes!" Alana said with eagerness. "We're allies, remember?"

Upon hearing this, angry flames sparked and ignited within the liche. It was then that he remembered everything: the times when both Alana and Kurt both walked all over him. The times when they both took him for granted. The times when they both ignored his contribution to the resurrection of Damenamecus. And the times when he plotted and schemed to have his revenge. 

The time for revenge is now. The Chosen One is within his grasp and, as long as she remains that way, Adolphus has no use for his 'allies' any more. 

"Allies?" the liche growled. "I don't think so"

And before Alana could stop him, Adolphus plunged his ancient claw of a hand into her stomach. The scientist's flesh could not hope to provide any sort of defence against the claw that burned it's way towards her heart. 

And what happened next, happened very quickly. 

Just as soon as Adolphus' hand smashed it's way into Alana's stomach, did the hand locate the scientist's heart and pulled it out.....

Then, in a gesture that was brutal and bloody, the liche pulled Alana's still beating heart out from her body. The scientist stared in horror as the liche then squashed the still beating organ in his hand. 

"The game has changed" Adolphus growled triumphantly. "You are on the wrong side."

"You bastard...." Alana whispered, as death washed over her. 

* * *

In amongst the ruins of the mansion, Lina Inverse coughed up a mouthful of dust and ash. Slowly, her hands reached out - only to feel to touch of blasted rubble. 

Huh?

Slowly, the red-head lifted up her head.

And what she saw was nothing short of total chaos. Her Mega Brand had ripped the mansion apart, leaving a gaping big hole in the mansion revealing the rooms, corridors and inner workings to the outside world. And in amongst the rubble that used to part of the wall, were scattered flames, mountains of ash and scorched ruin.

Suddenly, Lina began to hear voices. A whole bunch of voices speaking at once. 

A whole bunch of voices that sounded distinctively familiar. 

"Look! Over there!"

Lina blinked. She could recognise that voice a mile away: Amelia!

Even as each of her joints screamed in protest, the sorceress hoisted herself onto her palms. She looked around to see the princess running towards her. 

Amelia knelt down beside the sorceress, grinning a welcoming grin. 

Lina managed a small smile. Yet, that smile was a lie: It was here that the sorceress could see the horror of Amelia's transformation this close for the first time. Amelia was a chimera. She, like Zel, had blue flesh of a rocky texture and hair that was made out of needles. 

Yet, judging by her expression, she seemed hardly bothered. In spite of appearances, Amelia still retained her friendly disposition. Her smile was typically large and her eyes sparkled. And she still had every intention of doing what she did best: being a great friend.

Lina, let out of a soft sigh. Yes, despite the circumstances Amelia was still as optimistic as ever. But, in her heart of hearts, the sorceress caught something in the princess' eye: Somewhere, in amongst the sparkle, rested signs of pain. Pain of her situation.....

"Are you all right Lina?" Amelia inquired. 

"Hey, how you doing kid?" Lina managed, with a small smile.

Amelia opened her mouth to speak.

Before being interrupted by a disturbingly familiar noise:

"OH-HO-HO-HO-HO-HO-HO-HO-HO-HO!!!!!!!!!!"

Upon hearing this frightful, and indeed unexpected noise, Lina's blood turned into water. 

Oh no. Not again! No way!

How could _she_ be here?!

Forgetting all about the pain that cruised through her body, she immediately leapt to her feet, her eyes growing with fear, her muscles twitching with panic.

"Wow, Lina!" said Amelia in astonishment. "Now that's what I call a rapid recovery!"

"Oh no" Lina murmured, in fear. "Don't tell me SHE'S here!!!"

Suddenly Naga came charging up laughing her head off. 

"There you are Lina!" Naga proclaimed triumphantly. "Fancy seeing you here! But when I saw that hole in that mansion, I immediately guessed it your was handiwork!"

"Now" she went on. "About that matter of the bill you left me with!"

Lina tried to run - but her legs refused to move. There was little she could do to escape her former associate. There was little she could do to escape the ghosts that had returned to haunt her. The was little she could do to escape settling a debt that was set up long ago.

Naga looming over her, bearing an expression that demanded revenge. The time for a long -awaited payback was now.....

Amelia, however, blinked in surprise. 

"You two, know each other?"

Now it was Lina's turn to look surprised. "What do you mean: 'you two?!'"

"Oh don't you know?" Naga answered. "I'm your friend Amelia's sister!"

"Yes!" Amelia added. "This is my long lost sister Gracia!"

Lina didn't answer. Instead she fell over backwards, the shock of this revelation being too much to handle. They're sisters?! No way! 

"Lina!" came a shout.

Both Naga and Amelia looked up to see Zelgadis running over. Hot on his heels came Gourry Gabriev - the swordsman looked bruised and battered but he still bore a large grin. It seemed no amount of injury hampered Gourry and he looked eager for battle.

But when he saw Amelia in her chimera form, his eyes dimmed. His smile still remained intact but, when confronted with the horror before him, his eyes turned grim and dark. 

"Amelia!" Gourry grinned. "There you are!"

"Great to see you too!" Amelia replied.

"Likewise!" said the swordsman. "Say, what happened to you? You look exactly like Ze...."

"Wait a minute" Zel said, interrupting quickly. "Where's Xelloss?"

It was there and then that everyone fell silent, realising that the Trickster priest wasn't with them. 

Suddenly Naga shouted. 

"Never mind Xelloss! What the hell is that?!"

There, emerging from the shadows came Adolphus, bearing the dead Alana in his arms. 

"That" Lina said, getting to her feet and adopting a furious expression. "Would be the bastards who have been after since this entire episode started."

"That would be correct" Adolphus said. "But now it is me alone. I'm afraid Alana has just departed this realm of existence."

"Is she.....?" Gourry asked, pointing at the burden in the liche's arms.

"Yes she is" Adolphus answered. "I killed her myself."

"You bastard!" Lina snarled. "I think it's time I put you out of our misery!"

"Ha!" Adolphus laughed, casting Alana's body aside. "What hope do you have of defeating a liche such as myself? Especially when I can do THIS!"

The liche raised his arms into the sky and muttered several unintelligible words. 

And then the ground erupted. Erupted with the sound of long-forgotten bones being called into action. Erupted with the force of the most forbidden of magic. Erupted with legion upon legion of long dead skeletons, each clutching rusty weapons and an intent of murder. 

And it was this undead horde that advanced onto the five adventurers. 

"What?" Amelia exclaimed. "You're using someone's remains against us?! That's unjust!"

"Surprised?" Adolphus chuckled. "This land has provided a home for generations of people. Generations that lived, breathed and died on this soil. And as long as their bones remain underneath the ground, I can use them as my army!"

"Hey! That's cheating!" Lina snapped back. 

"Two can play at that game!" Naga shouted. "STONE GOLEM!"

"NO!" Lina screamed. "Not that!"

But it was too late. Naga's spell had already been cast. The ground rumbled with the force of a mighty stone construction crushing it's way through the rocks of the under world and towards the surface. 

Within moments, a mighty arm of rock burst from the ground, quickly followed by a great stone head. Naga grinned in triumph as her golem rose up from the ground, like a mighty god of war.

There was just one small problem.

Naga had cast her spell in the wrong direction.

Consequently, the golem had emerged from underneath the mansion.

Thus, the golem had to negate this obstacle - by smashing it to pieces. 

This left Gourry, Amelia and Zel staring in astonishment as Lina, with her face buried in her hand, shook her head in disbelief.

"This... is supposed to help us?" Zel inquired. 

"Oh well" Gourry sighed. "I guess we better do this the hard way then!"

And with that, he drew his sword with dramatic flourish and began waving it challengingly at the advancing undead horde. 

"Right behind ya!" Lina grinned. "FIREBALL!"

And then, within seconds, the mansion grounds erupted into a battle field. 

* * *

In the midst of all the mayhem, Amelia and Zelgadis fought side by side. Each watching the others back. Each helping out the other with a quick blow with a sword or with a nasty spell. Each eager to not let the other die.

Suddenly a skeleton brought a rusty hatchet crashing down on Amelia's head. But Amelia didn't see it until it was too late. But nothing happened to the princess - The blow from the hatchet was negated by her stone flesh. 

Blinking in surprise, Amelia then delivered a nasty punch at the skeleton, sending him, quite literally, to pieces.

Amelia sighed. If it wasn't the intervention of the stone skin, that hatchet would have penetrated her flesh and left her dead. It seems the chimera curse has it's advantages.

But a curse is still a curse. And one she wants to be free from.

Suddenly, Amelia caught sight of a familiar shape running away from the battle. A shape that was heading for the surrounding forests. 

A shape that looked remarkably like Kurt....

Vengeance filled Amelia's heart. Vengeance for his manipulative and cruel ways. Vengeance for all the trouble he'd caused. Vengeance for giving her this chimera curse....

"KURT!" she shouted.

"What?" Zel replied.

Taking out the nearest skeleton with a lethal punch, Amelia leapt into the sky and out of the battle field.

"Amelia!" Zel shouted from below. "What are you doing?!"

But Amelia had no time to answer questions. She had vengeance to deliver. 

She came down to earth a few feet away and began sprinting towards the trees.

* * *

Quick! Turn the page!  
Contents  



	23. Chapter 20 Gotterdammerung part b

The Woodsman The Woodsman  
Chapter 19  
Gotterdammerung (part b) 

* * *

Amelia plunged into the forest, in her pursuit of Kurt. As she hurried on through the trees, her mind was racing as quickly as her feet were moving. 

Where was she going? Was she right in leaving her friends to fend for themselves against Adolphus' undead hordes? What she trying to achieve by taking out Kurt on her own? And where is the conniving little bastard planning in all of this?

Suddenly her ears picked up a sound. A distinctive sound. A disturbing sound. A sound that was enough to make her stop dead in her tracks. 

It was the sound of an axe. 

An axe being brought down to split chunks of wood. 

Upon hearing this, Amelia's blood turned to ice. Her chimera hands began shaking and her eyes widened in terror. Could this be....?

And then, up ahead, she saw it.

The Woodsman. The very thing that had been haunting her dreams ever since that scuffle with Diol. There he stood, atop a slope in the forest, wielding his axe to deliver a splintering blow onto some wood nearby. 

_Just like in my dream_ the princess thought.

Just then, the Woodsman raised his head. He raised his head to reveal, instead of eyes, a pair of opaque discs. A pair of opaque discs that burned with red fury. A pair of opaque discs that burned right at the princess. 

Amelia was nothing short of perturbed by this gruesome, and indeed disturbing, visage. Nevertheless she still managed to find courage to move. Movement that made her legs ascend the slope and advance towards the menace before her. 

With hatred and vengeance in her heart, Amelia approached the Woodsman.

"You" she growled. 

"Oh, but of course" Kurt grinned.

"So, that was you all along." 

Kurt nodded, his crude-looking spectacles blazing with red light.

"Now what are you going to do?" the teenager mocked. "Curse my name? Break every bone in my body? Blast me into the stratosphere with one of your spells?"

But Amelia wasn't in any mood for questions. Instead, she growled in frustration and unleashed a fearsome punch aimed at Kurt's face.

But the punch never reached it's intended target. Instead, the punch was halted mere inches away. 

Amelia blinked in astonishment as Kurt grinned in smug satisfaction. 

"Did you forget something?" he chuckled. "As long as you are still a chimera, you are still under my control. And as long as you remain that way, you can still provide the means to bring Damenamecus back to earth!" 

"Like hell I will!" Amelia snarled. 

"Oh but you will" Kurt sniggered.

He then reached into the pocket of his waistcoat and pulled out a crystal vial. 

"You see this?" Kurt proclaimed. "This is an antidote that will cure you of your chimera form. One dose of this will restore your human body. Every drop swallowed will be enough to bring you back to what you once were."

Amelia blinked in surprise. So it was true.....

"So, I guess I have your assistance in this matter now eh?" Kurt mocked.

"I don't think so" came the reply.

Amelia then launched herself into the air, with the intention of charging the malevolent Kurt and bringing him down with the wrath of Justice before grabbing the vial.

And her plan would've worked had it not been for the underestimation of what Kurt was capable of. 

It happened when Amelia was mere inches away from the teenager. As she raised her fists, ready to pound Kurt into next week, the teenager pocketed the vial in his waistcoat before raising his hands before him. And then, in one magnificent gesture, a bolt of raw power erupted from his finger tips and burned it's way towards the princess. 

Immediately, Amelia was thrown way clear of the blast. She came to rest several feet away from the smug teenager. 

After coming down to earth, it didn't take long for Amelia to get back to her feet. Fortunately for the princess, her chimera skin had taken most of the damage and left her still capable of action. Yet as Amelia readied herself for another assault, she felt a small trickle run down her cheek. Slowly she reached up towards her face.....

....to receive a handful of blood. 

Kurt noticed Amelia's startled expression. And still he retained his smug expression.

"As you can see, I am not a force to be trifled with" he boasted. "Your chimera form may save you from swords and the basic of spells but it can't save you from my powers."

"That doesn't stop me from trying!" Amelia snapped. "RA-TILT!"

Instantaneously, a force of pure destruction burst from Amelia's fingertips heading for Kurt. But the teenager, faced with a tsunami of magical power, didn't look worried at all. Instead he merely waved his hand.

And instantaneously, Amelia's spell was brought to an abrupt end. The tsunami of raw power dissipated as it was broken up by an intervention powerful beyond belief. 

Amelia blinked in astonishment, as if uncertain on what to make on what she had just witnessed. What was this guy capable of....?

"Impressed by my powers are you?" the teenager said. "Then here! Have another example!"

And with that, he summoned another bolt of magical energy - only this one was aimed at the ground. The bolt struck the ground a short distance away from the princess. With little chance of escape, Amelia was blasted into the air. The princess screamed with pain as she was catapulted into the air, at an astonishing rate. 

Seconds later, she came crashing down to the ground. The princess' bloodied and battered body came down without a sound. 

Kurt stood triumphantly over Amelia's prostrate form. 

"Oh my" he mocked. "The puppet tried to rebel against it's masters! How pathetic."

"Not at all" came a voice. 

Kurt turned around at the sound of this voice, to see Zelgadis advancing towards him.

The chimera fixed the teenager with a glare of fury and hatred. 

"I should break every bone in your pitiful body for what you did to Amelia" Zel snarled.

"Oh isn't that sweet?" Kurt said. "A chimera ready to avenge that of his flesh and blood."

"NO, IT'S NOT LIKE THAT!" Zelgadis roared. "This skin is not mine by choice!"

"Well, I'm sorry to hear that" Kurt replied sarcastically. "Did my great lord Damenamecus do that to you?"

"You know, I used to be like you" The chimera replied, changing the subject of conversation completely. "I wanted power. And I wanted it so much that I was prepared to do anything to achieve it. But I found that with such wishes, comes a price to pay." 

Suddenly, the first few hints of rage ignited within Kurt. Immediately, his eyes grew with fury and his hands blazed with magical power.

"Nonsense!" he snarled. "Don't give me that line of crap!"

And to emphasise his point, Kurt unleashed another bolt of power. Zel's eyes grew with alarm but nothing could save him from being struck by the power of Kurt's wrath. 

Zel was struck in the chest with such a force that he soon found himself catapulted right into a tree. Zel let out a pained groan and sank to the ground. And since Kurt's blow was a lethal one, the chimera began coughing up blood. 

But Zel had no intention of giving up the fight. Even as he could feel blood pouring from him and even as his joints screamed their agonised protest, Zel still managed to get back on his feet. 

Zel then grinned a sadistic grin, before drawing his sword. 

"What's the matter, Kurt?" the chimera sneered. "Are you afraid to draw your sword and fight like man? Are you really afraid to fight a battle without you magic?"

"You know something?" Kurt retorted. "I guess I am"

And to prove his point, he unleashed another bolt of power at the chimera. Zel tried to jump out of the way but to no avail. His injuries had left him a sitting duck. And there was nothing he could do to escape Kurt's magic. 

Zelgadis found himself, once again, blasted up against the tree. He roared with pain as the magic tore at his body in a way that even his chimera curse couldn't save him. He roared with pain most incredible. 

Eventually, the roaring fell silent. Satisfied with this sudden silence, Kurt brought an end to his spell, thus allowing the battered chimera to fall to the ground, a silent, bloodied mess of stone hard flesh and bone.

Pleased with this achievement, Kurt chuckled to himself in triumph. 

But what he didn't realise was that someone was in the shadows watching. 

Xelloss observed the proceedings with open eyes. He wasn't liking the way this was turning out. It seems that his methods of manipulation weren't turning out the way he intended. It seems he underestimated his opponents greatly. It seems the evil he was ordered to destroy was too strong for his friends. 

But, in any case, if one wants something done right, then one must do it himself.....

Yes, after spending so long in the shadows and manipulating everyone to do his bidding, the time for intervention was now at hand. 

Clearing his throat, the Trickster Priest closed his eyes and emerged from the shadows.

"Impressive" he said. "Quite impressive. You're certainly a force to be reckoned with."

Upon hearing this, Kurt flicked his head around to face the newcomer. When he saw who it was, he chuckled. 

"You" he laughed. "The mazoku himself. What do you want?"

"I am merely here to finish what has begun" 

"What?" Kurt mocked. "Don't tell me you're coming to avenge your friends?"

Xel shrugged. "Well, I suppose that too."

Kurt blinked. 

"You see" Xelloss went on, "I am merely acting on the orders of my master Zelas Metallium. I have been watching you ever since you began your plotting to resurrect Damenamecus. And now that your master's arrival has been averted, I have to finish the job. That does include YOU." 

"Ha!" Kurt burst out. "How can you hope to achieve what your friends couldn't?"

"Well then" Xelloss said, opening his eyes. "Why don't we find out, eh?"

And to prove his point, Xelloss raised his finger and waggled it. 

Eventually the flames died away, leaving a rather scorched Kurt. Although battered and burned, the teenager still stood. 

And, in spite of coughing up ash, Kurt was also still quite capable of managing speech:

"That was quite a clever trick there." he snarled. "But tell me are you fast enough to dodge this?!"

And with these words, he unleashed his bolt of raw power. But Xelloss was too smart for that. Instantaneously, the Trickster avoided Kurt's destructive magic in his familiar vanishing act. 

Kurt blinked at the spot where Xelloss once stood. Where did he go?! And so quickly?!

He began to grow uneasy. It seems the mazoku was more powerful then the Chosen One and the other chimera. And he was hardly the type to be underestimated.....

Could it be possible that Kurt is at the point where his end is approaching.....?

Suddenly, Xelloss appeared behind Kurt and dealt a vicious blow. Kurt came crashing down to the ground. 

"Damn you!" Kurt snarled.

"Oh come on" the Trickster Priest retorted. "Who are you to challenge a mazoku?"

"Damn your master!" the teenager blurted out, without thinking. "Damn Zelas!"

"WHAT DID YOU SAY?!?!" Xelloss boomed. "You'll pay for that!"

And with these words, Xelloss reached down and grabbed Kurt by the collar - before delivering a lethal right hook to the face!

Kurt went flying through the air only to come crashing down a short distance away. Yet, in spite of his bruised face, the teenager still managed to get off the ground and into a sitting position.

"You'll pay for that" Kurt growled at Xel.

"Somehow I doubt that" came the reply. 

Xelloss waggled his finger again. And suddenly Kurt could feel his arm moving out his control. His arm was moving on it's own and it was twisting. Twisting out of it's joints and out of shape. Twisting out of shape upon acting on a power that even Kurt's incredible magical prowess had no chance of overcoming.

As Kurt roared with pain, he could feel his other arm move on it's own. It too was twisting out of shape, and creating hideous pain to the teenager. And it wasn't long before both his legs also began following suite. 

With both his legs and his arms broken and twisted out of shape, Kurt had nowhere to run and nowhere to hide. Consequently, he couldn't move as Xelloss advanced towards his stricken form. The end was truly nigh. 

Kurt was powerless as Xelloss, bearing a glare that burned with hatred, reached down and picked him up by the scruff of his collar. 

"This is for Zelas" the Trickster growled.

And with those words, Xel delivered the most lethal of all blows to Kurt's face.

The teenager couldn't even scream as darkness engulfed him. 

Meanwhile, consciousness returned to Zelgadis. Dazed and battered as he was, his eyes still managed to gaze the scene of devastation before him. 

And the sight of prostrate Amelia, caked with blood.

Upon seeing the princess like this, Zelgadis' breathing came hard and fast. His eyes grew angry and words flew from his mouth one after the other:

"Damn. You. All. To. HELL!"

In spite of his injuries Zel managed to get to his feet and raced towards the princess' stricken form. He knelt down beside Amelia and picked up her hand tenderly in his own.

Was she.....?

"No, she isn't dead." came a voice. 

Zel looked up to see the Trickster Priest standing beside him, with his eyes closed. 

"Xelloss...." Zel sighed.

"She isn't dead." Xel repeated. "It was only through her chimera flesh that she's managed to survive."

"What about Kurt?"

"He is dead" Xelloss replied. "I saw to it myself."

"But for now" he continued. "Onto more important matters."

Xel opened his eyes and drew his out-stretched hand before the chimera. In it was a small crystal vial of liquid. 

"What's this?" Zel demanded.

"I found it on Kurt." The Trickster Priest explained. "He was planning to use it to bribe Amelia into doing his bidding."

"What is it?" 

"A chimera cure." Xel replied, in a definitive tone.

Upon hearing this, Zelgadis' eyes slowly widened with wonder. Then, with shaking hands, he took the vial and examined it in awed silence. 

"...I...I don't believe it...." he whispered eventually. "After all this time...."

"Now that you've found your cure at long last" Xelloss asked. "What are you going to do with it?"

"What type of question is that?" Zel snapped.

Xel didn't reply. Instead he merely nodded towards Amelia's form. 

And suddenly, the brutal harshness of reality hit Zel like a sledge-hammer. He feel silent.

"What are you going to do, Zel?' Xelloss said. "Will you take it, or give it to Amelia?"

Zel didn't reply. Instead he bowed his head. 

"This is your decision" the Trickster Priest said. "I leave it to you to decide"

And with that Xelloss vanished, leaving the chimera with the vial and Amelia.

With shaking hands, Zel could feel his eyes well with tears....

* * *

Meanwhile, back at the battlefield, all was chaos. 

Naga's golem had finally broken out of it's prison (by completely destroying that which contained it) and had now joined the battle against Adolphus' skeleton horde. Gourry welded his sword left and right, taking down any skeleton stupid enough to come near, whilst Naga and Lina both cast spell after spell, their past regressions now forgotten completely. 

But no amount of swordplay or spells could keep the skeletons at bay. As Adolphus had no intention of losing this battle, his necromancy powers were running to their full extent. More and more skeletons emerged from the ground with each passing second. And even as the three adventures fought on, for every one skeleton that fell, two more stepped in it's place. And no amount of support from the golem could halt the tide of undead that swamped Naga, Lina and Gourry.

Lina growled her frustration. 

Dammit!" she cursed loudly. "How many more of these bastards are there?!"

"Don't give up now Lina!" Gourry said. "We must keep fighting!"

"Oh screw this!" Lina snapped. "I'm gonna put an end to this! LEVITATION!"

"Wait!" Naga yelled. "What are you doing!?"

And before the raven-haired sorceress could stop her, Lina leapt right into the air. As the levitation spell gave her the benefits of an eagle-eye view of the mayhem before her, Lina looked around in contemplation of her next move.

And there, right behind the continuous tide of skeletons, was Adolphus, using his twisted sorcery to increase his legions and guiding them onward. 

Lina grinned to herself. Time to put an end to his fun....

"FIREBALL!"

Had Adolphus not been too concerned with directing his legions, he would've noticed the sorceress in her elevated position. Had Adolphus not been too concerned with increasing the size of his legions, he would've noticed said sorceress cast a great ball of flame. And Had Adolphus bothered to look up, he would've noticed the fireball sailing over the heads of his skeletons, heading in his direction.

But this was not to be. The fireball struck the unaware liche with a tremendous explosion. 

Lina grinned. Yes! Take that, Adolphus! That should swing the battle out of his favour, right?

Wrong. 

Nothing could change the fact that Adolphus was a liche. A liche of great power. Within moments, Adolphus had managed to magically extinguish the flames that consumed him. 

Then, he noticed Lina floating high above the battlefield. 

"Very clever, Lina" the liche growled. "But lets see if you're smart enough to avoid this!"

And with that, a bolt of thunder burst from his hands, heading with great speed in Lina's direction. With such a force of power travelling at such a speed, Lina had no chance of dodging it. The thunderbolt struck the sorceress off guard and sent her plummeting to the ground. 

"LINA!" Gourry shouted, over the noise of the battle.

The sorceress sailed over the remnants of the mansion and came crashing down to the ground. She skidded along the ground before finally coming to rest. Coming to rest near someone's feet..... 

The next thing Lina, knew she heard a voice.

"Lina! Are you all right?"

Suddenly Lina heard another new noise. Sounds of shouting. Sounds of running feet. Sounds of battle cries being screamed.

And, in amongst the noise, came a soft chanting. A chanting that Lina recognised as a healing spell.....

What the hell.....?

Eventually the chanting stopped. Then Lina, although dazed and confused, slowly opened her eyes.

To see the friendly smiling face of Sylphiel. 

Lina blinked. "Sylphiel!" 

The shrine maiden just smiled. 

"Was that you I heard casting that healing spell?" Lina inquired.

Syl nodded.

"Good" Lina replied, before jumping to her feet. From there, she surveyed the battle field before her. And to her surprise, she saw a new faction enter the battle. There, battling the skeletons came a whole bunch of farming folk, armed with whatever weapons at their disposal: Axes, pickaxes, shovels and, on occasion, swords. 

Lina blinked at these newcomers. She turned to Syl.

"What are you doing here? Weren't you back at Dakeyras?"

"I was" Syl explained. "But after you got knocked out fighting that Damenamecus... thing, I found Amelia and.... took her back to the inn. After that she disappeared, so I went looking for her. I spent the whole day looking but I couldn't find her! So I went back to the inn in disappointment. Then Dakeyras was rocked by this huge explosion so some of the villagers went to investigate....."

"Right" Lina nodded. So the villagers have come to help! Great! In any case herself, Naga and Gourry need all the help they can get!

Suddenly, Lina blinked. 

"Did you say, you met up with Amelia once you'd defeated Damenamecus?"

Syl nodded.

"So you know?" 

Bearing a grim expression, Syl nodded her silent reply. 

"Where is Amelia anyway?" the priestess asked. 

"Somewhere over there" Lina replied gesturing towards the battle. 

"You know, I heard that you had defeated Damenamecus with the Dragon Slave." Lina added. "I'm impressed."

Syl brightened at these words. "You mean it?"

"Yeah" Lina grinned. "But I should remind you that with such power, one must choose the right time and the right place to use a such a spell."

Syl nodded wisely. "Yes, I know. In destroying Damenamecus... I.... kind of destroyed Dakeyras altogether....."

Lina slapped her forehead.

"Never mind that now" she said eventually . "Now we have more important matters to deal with."

"Such as?" Syl asked.

Lina turned towards the battle and her expression grew darker. 

"Dealing with that bastard liche" she snarled. "No one takes me out! Ever!"

"What about that time with Hellmaster Phibrizzo?" Syl inquired.

Lina face faulted, at the priestess' comment.

"Well" the sorceress said quickly . "No one takes me out and gets away with it!"

And then she began murmuring soft words. Yet even as softly as Lina chanted them, Syl was still in earshot. It didn't take her long, but she recognised those words.....

And those words were certainly cause for alarm!

She recognised those words all right!

"No!" Syl shouted. "Stop!"

But it was too late. Lina's arms were blazing with raw power and her chanting was reaching it's peak. Slowly, the red-head opened her eyes. 

"DRAGON SLAVE!"

Suddenly, a huge bolt of power burst from Lina's fingertips. This bolt of power thundered down towards the battle and towards the liche. 

Adolphus, however, was oblivious at first. He was far too concerned with raising the bones that lay in the ground to increase his army. Consequently, he didn't see the Dragon Slave thunder towards him until it was too late. 

The Liche looked up at the tsunami of magic steam-roll towards him. Faced with so much power that he couldn't possibly avoid, there was little Adolphus could do. His skull face then adopted, what looked like, an expression of terror. There was no escape.

Suddenly the battle field exploded. Adolphus was vaporised completely. The skeletons all crumbled and fell into dust. The golem was blown apart completely. All the villagers were blown clear of the explosion.

And when the dust was settled, all that remained was a large smoking crater. There was nothing left of the mansion, the liche Adolphus or the legions of skeletons. There was nothing left. It was all over.

Lina smiled in satisfaction. "Yeah! Revenge is indeed sweet!"

"You see?" Lina said, turning to a startled Syl. "Like I said. You gotta choose the right time and the right place!"

The priestess opened her mouth to speak. 

But before she could say anything, something large and heavy came plummeting down. Something that looked at lot like, and sounded like, Naga the serpent. The raven-haired sorceress came plunging down and hit the ground with a tremendous thud - right next to Lina. 

"Oh man" Naga mumbled. "It's been a while since I last heard that!"

"Hey Naga!" Lina joked. "What happened? Can't you survive a Dragon Slave any more?!"

Seconds later, another object came plummeting down from the sky. An object that looked exactly like Gourry Gabriev. He too hit the ground with such an incredible force.

"Gourry!" Syl cried, shocked at his crash landing.

"Oh don't worry!" Lina grinned. "He's still alive! I know he is!"

The swordsman softly moaned. Lina grinned triumphantly at the priestess.

"See? I told you so!"

But Syl didn't answer. She was too busy staring right past Lina. 

Lina turned around.

And there she saw Zel. Bloodied and battered, but still alive. The chimera was carrying Amelia. But, even as she was out cold, this was a different Amelia - This was an Amelia that was slowly returning to her human form: Even as Zel carried Amelia, the princess' chimera curse was slowly evaporating: Evaporating from one end of her body to the other. Evaporating to reveal her human flesh underneath. Amelia's freedom from the chimera curse was secured. Forever.

As Zel neared, Lina and Syl noticed that Zelgadis' eyes were swelled with tears. His facial expression was one wrought with emotion and his hands were shaking.

"Zelgadis!" Syl exclaimed. "What happened?"

It was then that the chimera spoke. Spoke in an emotionally charged voice.

"We found Kurt" he said. "He's dead now.

"But not before he promised a cure for Amelia's chimera curse....."

Lina blinked. Then she laid a comforting hand on Zelgadis' shoulder. 

She understood completely. 

"Oh Zel....."

* * *

It isn't over yet.....  
Contents  



	24. Epilogue

The Woodsman The Woodsman  
Epilogue 

* * *

Amelia's eyes slowly shifted. She could feel consciousness slowly return to her. She could feel sunlight dancing on her face and she could hear soft words being chanted. 

What? What on earth? What was going on here? The last thing she could remember was chasing after that malevolent Kurt and fighting him - only to face his extraordinary powers in all their brutal glory. 

Where was she? Surely she couldn't be at that part of the forest? Surely she couldn't be still in the hands of the enemy?

Surely she couldn't be dead.....?

_Okay_ she thought to herself. _I'll just open my eyes and if I don't like what I see, I can always close them again....._

Slowly, reluctantly and somewhat forcibly, the princess opened her eyes.....

And to her surprise, and delight, she found herself not in the forest. Instead, she was lying down on a bed of the finest of silk sheets in a room in a tavern somewhere.

And there, standing alongside the bed were two familiar faces: Gracia and Sylphiel. 

"Ah!" Naga grinned. "You're awake at last!"

"Gracia!" Amelia beamed. "Sylphiel!"

"Welcome back Amelia!" the shrine maiden smiled. 

"Where....am I?" A confused Amelia inquired.

You're back in Dakeyras. In the tavern." The priestess replied. 

"Seems your healing spell worked wonders." Naga said, nudging Syl. "She's back to her old self!"

"Old self?" Amelia inquired. "How can I? I'm a chim....."

"No, you're not." Naga interjected, smiling.

Amelia looked at her hands....

And to her delight, she found her hands to be that of human hands! No chimera hands at all! She ran her fingers through her hair - No longer was it hard and rigid! It as soft as she'd always known it to be! She was completely free of the chimera curse!

"I'm human...." Amelia said in bewilderment. "I'M HUMAN!"

And with a whop of joy, Amelia leapt of the bed and into the waiting arms of Naga. The two sisters embraced each other, each laughing out loud.

"I can't believe it!" Amelia exclaimed happily. "I'm human again! I'm not a chimera any more! Oh, I'm so happy!"

And then, much to Sylphiel's astonishment, Naga let loose one of her infamous laughs:

"OH-HO-HO-HO-HO-HO-HO-HO-HO-HO!!!!!!!!!!"

Amelia giggled - adding to the cacophony that occupied the tavern room.

Eventually Amelia and Naga ceased laughing. It was then that Amelia managed speech:

"Where's Lina? I have to tell her this!" 

"Downstairs" the raven-haired sorceress replied. "She's waiting for you."

Great!" Amelia beamed. She turned to Syl. 

"And thank you Sylphiel" the princess said. "For being a great friend."

Syl didn't reply. Instead she smiled a smile that at once was warm, friendly, inviting and relieved. 

The shrine maiden watched as Amelia dashed out the door. And she felt, for the first time in a long time, happy. She also felt proud of herself. Proud of her involvement in this adventure. Proud of her contribution to the downfall of Damenamecus. Proud of helping out Amelia in a time of crisis. 

It was then and there that something ignited within Sylphiel's heart. 

It was the flame of achievement.

A flame that will never die.....

A flame that will continue burning.....

Forever.

* * *

Amelia dashed out the room and downstairs into the dining room. 

Once there, she soon picked out Lina and Gourry at breakfast. How could she miss them? they were the only people in the dining room going for it like there was no tomorrow!

"Lina!" Amelia called, bounding over.

"Amelia!" The sorceress grinned over her food.

"Hey! You're up!" Gourry added.

Amelia smiled at her friends. Even though they looked worn with battle, fatigue and lack of sleep, they still looked as energetic as she'd always knew them. 

"So tell me" Amelia said, taking a seat at the table. "What happened?"

It didn't take her long for her to find out. When she heard Lina and Gourry relay the story of the battle, her attention was established from the word go and she never turned away once. She laughed at Naga's luckless golem. She grew tense at Adolphus' thunderbolt. And she breathed a sigh of relief to hear of Lina's Dragon Slave.

Just then, as Lina was winding towards the end of her tale, the trio heard a distinctive voice.

"Aha! I knew I would find you all here."

This was enough to break the trio from their meal, completely. Immediately, Lina, Gourry and Amelia all turned around to see Xelloss approaching their table. With his eyes closed and his smile as large as ever, he radiated with smugness. 

Instantly, Lina reached out and grabbed the Trickster in a massive head lock!

"DAMN YOU XELLOSS!" she snarled. "How can you remain so smug and clean when we've all but been through hell?!"

"That's a secret!" came the reply. 

Lina roared with fury and looked ready to pound Xelloss into a bloody pulp.

And such a pounding would've happened had it not been for Amelia's intervention:

"Say, where's Zelgadis?"

Upon hearing this Gourry, dropped his eating utensils, and Lina dropped Xelloss. No one noticed the huge thud the Trickster Priest made as his head hit the floorboards.

"Umm....actually I never saw Zel after the battle" Gourry said. "The last I saw of him, he was running off from the battlefield after you."

"Right" Amelia said in acknowledgment.

Just then a thought struck her: "Hold on! Where's Kurt!?"

"He is dead" answered Xelloss getting up off the floor with his eyes open. "I had the pleasure of killing him myself"

Amelia grinned with the satisfaction that justice has been done to the malevolent teenager. 

"You mean to tell me that you actually did something?" Lina muttered. 

Ignoring Lina, Amelia continued talking to Xelloss.

"Hang on here" she said. "How did I get my human form back?"

"You know that antidote Kurt was telling you about?" Xelloss replied, still with his eyes open. "It was the genuine thing."

"I see....."

Then it hit her.

"You mean to tell me.....?"

Lina nodded solemnly. Xelloss, still with his eyes open, followed suit.

"So where is Zel now?" Amelia asked slowly.

"I heard him early this morning" Lina answered. "I think he headed onto the roof to watch the sunrise."

Amelia nodded. That was all she needed to know. She got to her feet and headed for the door.

Lina watched her go. 

"Good luck kid" she said. "Considering what Zel has been through, it's gonna take a lot to cheer him up"

Gourry blinked in confusion. "So what happened with Zel and Amelia exactly?"

Upon hearing this, Lina slammed her head in exasperation. Xelloss. now with his eyes closed, giggled. 

Suddenly, the dining room echoed with a sound that was, at once, disturbing and horrific.

"OH-HO-HO-HO-HO-HO-HO-HO-HO-HO!!!!!!!!!!"

Lina's eyes widened with terror as Naga strode up towards the table. 

Slowly the red-head turned around to face her former travelling companion.

"Aha Lina!" the raven-haired sorceress grinned. "I'm so glad I caught up with you! We still have to settle that matter of that unpaid debt you left me with!!!" 

As Xelloss chuckled to himself, Gourry blinked at Naga. 

"Lina, who is this?" the swordsman demanded. "She seems to know you."

Lina groaned. This was going to be a very long day.....

* * *

From the roof of the tavern, Zelgadis scanned the ruins of Dakeyras. Already the townsfolk had forgotten completely about the evil that threatened their village and were returning to their lives. There they went, rebuilding destroyed houses, recovering any lost treasures and making something out of the ruins before them.

Zel sighed. Yeah, ruins. That was just like he felt right now. Picking up what could be salvaged from the ruins. 

But in his case there was little left to salvage.....

After spending so long, searching for a cure, he finally found one. Yet even as he spent so long in his search it didn't take long for this discovery to slip through his fingers. The tower of hope that was once there had now collapsed. The relief of a journey ended had now fallen away completely. The taste of victory had grown sour. 

It's funny how high hopes can travel before plummeting so far......

There was little he could but go back to square one. But how long would he have to journey onward before he finds another cure like it? How much further does he have to travel? How many more dangers must he face? How much more hell must he endure before his body is returned to normal. 

Zel looked at his hand. He had it in his grasp. He could feel it's warmth, it's power, it's promise....

And it all fell away.

Just then, Zel felt the presence of another. 

He looked up to see Amelia make her way across the roof towards him. In all her humanised glory.

Zel turned away, not wanting to look at her.

"Hey you" Amelia said. "Lina told me I could find you here....."

Zel said nothing. Regardless, Amelia sat down beside him. 

"I know what happened" she began.

Zel sighed

"No, don't give me that!" Amelia said. "I want you know that what you did was very noble. And now that I've been a chimera myself I now understand your pain of bearing dubbed a freak and a monster."

"No, you don't know." Zel retorted. "You don't know how much I have been through! You don't know how frustrating it is to be searching for something impossible! You don't know because you found a cure just as quickly as you became a chimera!"

Amelia got to her feet and turned away from the chimera. 

"It seems my time spent with you has been all for nothing." She said solemnly. 

"What's that supposed to mean?" 

"I'll tell you what!" Amelia snapped, turning around. "All those times I saved your arse! All the times I tried to make you smile! All the times I tried to make you see things beyond your chimera curse! All the times I persuaded you to enjoy life! All the times I said I loved you!"

"Yet all that" she concluded, turning away. "Can't change you at all."

Zel remained silent.

"No matter" she replied, turning around. "I still want you to know that your sacrifice was an honourable one. Giving up everything like that for a friend. I'm so proud of you."

Zel sighed again, his dispair too great to bear. 

Amelia sighed at his inconsolable behaviour.

"Well the least I could do is offer my thanks" she said. 

And with that she placed her fingers underneath the chimera's chin and brought his face up so she could place her lips onto his.....

Then, after what seemed like an eternity, she broke off the contact. 

The chimera blinked at this move, but his eyes sparkled with hope. And his lips formed into a smile. A small smile. A smile just for her. 

Amelia smiled back, satisfied with his response. 

"It seems my time spent with you hasn't all been in vain after all" she grinned.

Then she placed her arm around Zel's shoulders.

"I know we'll find you a cure for your curse" she said. "I just know it...."

**THE END**

* * *

**Author's Endnote:** Hurrah! This monster is all complete at long last! Woohoo!

Thank you to everyone who read this fic and stuck by it as it developed. Thanks also to all those who posted reviews - Namely: Cyristal, destructive sorceress, Earth Star, Gee Daruko y Darukoshi, Graelyn-chan, Melinda the Digimon poet and Moro the Wolf God   
Thanks also to Alyson, Kebinu, Kelly-chan and everyone else who urged me to continue with this monstrosity - Without your support, this fic would not have got this far!

**Special thanks to:** My intrepid proof-reader, Diane (ichiban_victory).   
My favourite author David Gemmell - Anyone who's read the _Waylander_ novels would recognise a tip of the hat in the name of the village featured in this fic ^__~  
And finally, extra special thanks to Amelia no Miko () who was courteous enough to review EVERY chapter! I am humbled to be lauded with so much praise!

As for a sequel...erm...maybe.....But seriously, following up on _Crimson Moon_ wasn't an easy task and now that _The Woodsman_ is complete, the rate of audience expectation is raised even higher! Therefore, it's going to take a long while before I write another epic of a Slayers serial.  
Still, who knows? I might change my mind....watch this space!

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